FIST235 - Early Modern Multiculturalism: Old and New World Identities in the Age of Conquest

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Academic Year 2000/2001

Early Modern Multiculturalism: Old and New World Identities in the Age of Conquest
FIST 235 FA

Crosslistings:
LAST 238
SPAN 238

This course explores the diversity within Spanish (European, Christian) as well as Amerindian cultures at the time of the Conquest. Many Old and New World texts can be read as complex examinations of national, religious, ethnic, and personal identity understood as both destiny and choice and as an ongoing quest or adventure. Identity assumes many forms here: multiple and sometimes divided allegiances, border-crossing, passing and disguise, conformist and nonconformist assimilation. We will focus on four prominent themes: biological and cultural mestizaje as ideal, as curse, and as amoral reality (the cases of Dona Marina/La Malinche, Gonzalo Guerrero, Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, the Inca Garcilaso); the discourse of barbarism and civilization, or what it means to be fully human (the debate between Las Casas and Sepulveda, Vitoria's launching of international law, the ethnographic achievements of Sahagun and Acosta); the struggle over the soul of the Church: Is Christianity inherited or acquired? In particular, is it compatible with racist blood-purity statutes aimed at converted Jews and Muslims (the cases of Fray Luis de Leon, Santa Teresa, Ignacio de Loyola, and the moriscos)? And, finally, the unstable boundary between the masculine and the femi nine: Is anatomy destiny (the cases of Santa Teresa and Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz)?

MAJOR READINGS

B. Diaz del Castillo, HISTORIA VERDADERA DE LA CONQUISTA DE NUEVA ESPANA
A. Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, NAUFRAGIOS
Selections from Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, COMENTARIOS REALES
Brief selections from Las Casas, Sepulveda, Vitoria, Sahagun, and Acosta.
Brief selections from L. de Leon, S. Teresa, and S. Ignacio.
S.J. Ines de la Cruz, RESPUESTA A SOR FILOTEA
Selections from M. de Cervantes, LOS TRABAJOS DE PERSILES Y SIGISMUNDA.

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

To be announced.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Readings, class discussion and written work in English only.

COL students must take this course CR/U.

Courses taught in English, which are designated as FIST (French, Italian Spanish literature in Translation), may NOT be credited toward the Spanish major.

Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

COURSE FORMAT: Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA RLAN Grading Mode: Graded

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Armstrong Roche,Michael

Times: ..T.T.. 02:40PM-04:00PM; Location: FISK116

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 19)

SR. major: X Jr. major: X

SR. non-major: X Jr. non-major: X SO: X FR: 19

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal: Speaking, Writing

FYI: First Year Initiative:Seminar

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-26-2001