There are many Latinx Americas across our hemisphere, including the United States, with the second-largest Spanish-speaking population in the world. A hemispheric perspective on the history, politics, and cultures of the Americas allows us to understand the diversity of Latinx Americas, contextualize Latinx contributions to U.S. society, and view the U.S.’s development as inseparable from its American neighbors.
In this inquiry, students will understand fundamental cultural and historical contributions of Latinx and Latin American communities to societies in the Americas.
Enrolled in this Inquiry?—Click here for a requirement checklist.
Inquiry Course Requirements
- In order to study the scope and theoretical approaches that explain the foundation of Latinx Studies, all Latinx Inquiry students will start by taking at least one of the following two courses in their first semester:
- ILAS 205. The Latinx Experience in the U.S. (option for your anchor course)
- ILAS 210. Latin American Cultural Studies (option for your anchor course)
- With that basis, students will expand their knowledge on Latin American and Latino politics and cultures by taking at least one of the courses listed below:
- HIST 253. Latin American Civilizations (option for your anchor course)
- AADS 214 / HIST 280. Africa and the African Diaspora
- POSC 376. Mexican Politics
- POSC382. Latin American Politics
- POSC385. U.S. Latino Politics
- Given the importance of art, film, and media production in the communication and transformation of Latinx and Latin American cultures–also as tools in students’ own reflection and analysis of what they are learning about the region–students are required to choose at least one of the courses from the following list:
- ART 205. Introduction to Visual Thinking
- ART 211. Portrait Photography: Identity and Social Justice
- ART 212. Introduction to Photography
- ART 214. Introduction to Digital Media Art
- ART 233. Portrait Photography
- ART 239. Painting and Drawing from Life
- ART 269. Community Arts
- TFMS 130. Idea into Performance
- TFMS 220. Introduction to Film and Media Studies
- TFMS 221. Film and Media Production Modes
- TFMS 228. Media Production I
- MUSA course (1 cr x 4 semesters) to develop voice or instrumental abilities in an instrument or genre related to Latin American musical traditions.
- Students completing this inquiry will need a broad understanding of how basic programming and/or the use of statistics in the social sciences can be applied to the study of issues concerning Latinx population in the US. Students can complete this requirement by taking one of these courses:
- COSC 120. Introduction to Computer Science
- ECON 253. Economic Statistics. This is a course with prerequisites.
- POSC 200: Scope and Methods of Political Science
- To complete their coursework, students are also required to choose one of the courses listed below. Any of these courses will allow the student to build connections between certain aspects of the natural sciences and the natural environment in the Americas or health issues in its communities.
- ENST 265. Earth Systems
- ENST 250. Environmental Science. *Only counts when with a lab component.* This is a course with prerequisites.
- Any CoreEX Natural Science w/Lab, preferably one related to environmental or health sciences.
- Upon finishing the coursework as explained here, inquiry students must complete their Integrated Learning Portfolio (1 credit)
Integrated Learning Portfolio (ILP)
The final requirement for any Inquiry is the Integrated Learning Portfolio. The ILP is the place where students articulate the connections they see among their courses– and where they reflect on the contribution each course makes to the Inquiry topic. Portfolios can include assignments from each Inquiry class, or artifacts from the class itself: images, articles, data– whatever material has been most significant to you.
Assembled as a Google Site or through a similar platform, the ILP is submitted as the student completes their Inquiry coursework. During their final semester in the Inquiry, students will be registered for their ILP by the Inquiry Lead. The ILP is worth one credit and graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.
About Core Inquiries
Core Inquiries give students an opportunity to apply coursework from a range of liberal arts disciplines to a common topic or question. In an Inquiry, students satisfy their Core Knowledge and Methods requirements by taking a set of courses– each connected to the Inquiry topic– and completing an Integrated Learning Portfolio. Through their Inquiry coursework, students can fulfill their Core Knowledge and Methods requirements in four or five classes (the number varies depending on which Inquiry you take), rather than six.