SELCS

The Essay in Spanish America


Course code: SPAN2120.
Course unit value: 0.5.

This course focuses on the intellectual history of Spanish America from the independence period to the present. Topics for discussion include the development of national consciousness, the emergence of nationalism and anti-imperialism, the role of intellectuals in the creation of Spanish American identities, as well as issues dealing with culture and race.

This course is taught in Spanish.

Assessment: one 3,000 word essay (40%); and one unseen two-hour written examination (60%).

Tutor: Dr Humberto Núñez-Faraco.

Texts

  • Juan Pablo Viscardo y Guzmán, ‘Carta dirigida a los españoles americanos’ (c. 1791).
  • Simón Bolívar, ‘Carta al editor de la Gaceta Real de Jamaica’ (1815).
  • Domingo F. Sarmiento, ‘Revolución de 1810’ (1845).
  • José Martí, ‘Nuestra América’ (1891).
  • Rubén Darío, ‘El triunfo de Calibán’ (1898).
  • José Enrique Rodó, Ariel (1900) [fragmento].
  • Manuel González Prada, ‘Nuestros indios’ (1904).
  • Leopoldo Lugones, El payador (1916) [fragmento].
  • Alfonso Reyes, ‘Notas sobre la inteligencia americana’ (1936).
  • Leopoldo Zea, ‘En torno a una filosofía americana’ (1942).
  • Alejo Carpentier, `De lo real maravilloso americano’ (1948).
  • Octavio Paz, ‘Máscaras mexicanas’ (1950).
  • Jorge Luis Borges, ‘El escritor argentino y la tradición’ (1951).
  • Rosario Ferré, ‘La cocina de la escritura’ (1980).

An electronic copy of all the primary texts will be provided by the tutor in the corresponding Moodle course.