Course name: LGTBQ Diversity and Sexual Identity in Latin America
Course code: SOCY 3050
Total contact hours: 48
Course Description:
This course will study the LGBTQI+ community and related social issues in the Latin American Context. Special attention will be given to the Costa Rican case study where sexuality, identity, expression, health, community, family, and other social, political and lifestyle issues will be discussed. This course offers students one of the only opportunities to study LGBTQ+ Latin American dynamics and issues. It is one of the first of its kind in the region and a pioneering offer for study abroad students in the Costa Rican setting. This is a young, but growing field of study in Latin America and defiantly one that deserves much attention, especially as the Latin American region is home to some of the most homophobic countries in the world and at the same time undergoing radical change in terms of its acceptance of the complete spectrum of sexuality and identity expression. This course has three main objectives: 1) students will be invited to explore LGBTQI+ Latin American community issues, 2) to appreciate how particular countries are advancing in relation to equality before the law while studying the social groups pushing for change, and 3) to critically assess present day contexts that are struggling with recently developed anti-discriminatory frameworks.
Student’s will carry out country reports, surveys, develop research projects and participate in possible field trips to help them to understand the issues being discussed.
This is a social studies and sustainability course, it is elective, theoretical and practical and responds to the professional formation questions: How is the region advancing with sexuality and diversity issues and what are the regional realities for the LGBTQI+ community?
To be able to respond to the above questions the following themes will be covered:
 Defining LGBTQ+ Identities in the Latin American and Caribbean context.
 An introduction to the central concerns of the LGBTQ+ community.
 A history of the LGBTQ+ Latin American movement, its major struggles and successes.
 Homophobia, machismo, and power relations.
 The role of the State and anti-discriminatory legal frameworks.
 Costa Rican LGBTQ+ groups and their work and concerns.
 LGBTQ+ Latin American public figures, heroes and outstanding individuals.
 LGBTQ+ sub-cultural tastes, music, meeting places.
 LGBTQ+ Latin American Literature and the Arts.
Throughout the course the following competencies will be promoted:
To participate and collaborate actively in the group tasks, and develop confidence, solidarity, cordiality, and skills in communal task management.
Contribute to the consolidation of a team and team work, promoting communication, equal distribution of tasks and a working environment encouraging calm and cohesion.
Capacity to communicate professionally with NGOs, State entities and institutions.
Specific Course Competency: Team work development and leadership.
To integrate knowledge, abilities and the necessary attitudes to be able to learn the techniques of team work and leadership (considering the tutorials and evaluations).
The following attitudes and values will be developed:
 How to work and get on with others.
 How to communicate with others.
 Problem and challenge identification.
 Search for solutions through dialogue and deliberation.
 Management and resolution of conflicts.
 Negotiation to inspire confidence and empathy
 Responsible communication and profound listening.
Competencies, criteria and evidence:
At Veritas University competencies are reflexive and integrated actions that respond to the professional profile and to context issues ideally and ethically through the integration of abilities, skills and knowledge. What follows are the discipline and core competencies and their correspondent key competencies and evidence of learning for this course. What follows are the discipline and core competencies and their correspondent key competencies and evidence of learning for this course. Competencies Key Competency Evidence of Learning Discipline
Evaluate the regional situations and
Evaluate global, regional and national issues illustrating discrimination and the mechanisms within the search for equality, equity in relation to the LGBTQI+ Latin American and Caribbean community
 Case study analysis
 Interaction and first hand research with different projects, site visits and fieldtrips.
 Observation and collection of data.
 Group work comparative research reports
understanding in the advancement of human rights for the LGBTQI+ Latin American and Caribbean community.
Critically assess successes and failures in the application of anti-discriminatory policy approaches.
 Interviews
 Essay
Analyze the methods, indicators and outcomes for understanding and combating disparities and discrimination.
 Case study analysis
 Research reports
 Design and execute interviews
 Essay
General competencies
Performance criteria
Evidence of performance
To integrate knowledge, abilities and necessary attitudes in order to learn in a continuous manner throughout life from keen appreciation and understanding of others experiences and struggles.
 Problem and challenge identification.
Case study research and comparisons.
Essay
Participate actively in the team tasks, strengthening confidence, cordiality, shared goals and team work.
 How to work and get on with others.
 Search for solutions through dialogue and deliberation.
 Negotiation to inspire confidence and empathy
Fieldtrips, group work, and site visits.
Direct work groups, assuring the integration of all members and group assessment.
 How to communicate with others.
 Work in teams and leadership
 Responsible communication and profound listening..
Collaborative tasks
Contribute to the consolidation of groups, favoring communication, equal distribution of tasks, with internal cohesion.
 Problem and challenge identification.
 Search for solutions through dialogue and deliberation.
Collaborative tasks and presentation of results.
 Management and resolution of conflicts.
Content:
(One theme each week, plus conclusions, practicals and finals)
Theme 1: Defining LGBTQ+ Identities in the Latin American and Caribbean context.
 A Brief overview of the course themes and context.
 A brief overview of global LGBTQ+ History and context building.
Theme 2: Defining LGBTQ+ Identities in the Latin American and Caribbean context.
 Defining LGBTQ+ Identities in the Latin American and Caribbean context.
Theme 3: An introduction to the central concerns of the LGBTQ+ community.
 Defining LGBTQ+ Identities in the Latin American and Caribbean context.
 Part 2.
Theme 4: A history of the LGBTQ+ Latin American movement, its major struggles and successes.
 Local, regional and global exploration and overview
Theme 5: Homophobia, machismo, and power relations.
 The role of the church shaping policy
 Conversion therapy
 Case study focus
Theme 6: The role of the State and anti-discriminatory legal frameworks.
 Case study focus: Country reports
Theme 7: Costa Rican LGBTQ+ groups and their work and concerns.
 Social movements and human rights
 Diversity movement
 Converging movements and NGOs
Theme 8: LGBTQ+ Latin American public figures, heroes and outstanding individuals.
 Heroes and Testimonies
 Community members present and past
 The fight against violence
Theme 9: LGBTQ+ community and culture
 LGBTQ+ Latin American Literature and the Arts.
 sub-cultural tastes, music, meeting places.
 LGBTQ+ Latin American and Caribbean Film
Theme 10: Conclusions and future outlooks
 Case study focus and conclusions
Methodolgy:
For this course the activities are planned at an intermediate level and stimulate learning through research and preparation of interviews, field trip research, case studies, essays, discussions and through consideration of the basic aspects of the fundamentals in strategic and systemic thinking.
The methodology encourages learning through student interaction with real life scenarios, problem identification, and problem solving in relation to LGBTQI+ issues and dynamics and with an aim to detect opportunities for learning and self-development. Finally, the method focuses on providing students with situations that they will go on to encounter in their professional lives and careers, thus enhancing competency and experience.
Learning strategies
The following learning strategies will be executed:
Case Studies and Interviews
Learning through case studies educates students in three essential aspects: knowledge management, reflective practices, and the ability to adapt to change. Knowledge management seeks that the student acquires strategies and techniques that allow him/her to learn by him/herself; this implies the awareness of assimilation, reflection, and interiorization of knowledge so the student can finally value and deepen from a personal choice.
Argumentative Essay
An argumentative essay as an academic writing tool allows each student to express opinions, interpret, and evaluate one or more topics by formally including adequate justification. The point is to show evidence of research and to demonstrate the ability to compose argument explanations clearly.
Group Work and Workshops
Workshops, involving role play, will promote shared spaces in which students, working as a team, will develop their oral and written communication skills, synthesis, leadership, listening and relating well with others when dealing with sustainability issues.
Presentations
Individual and group presentations will provide opportunities to communicate orally and iconically, share the results of research, and demonstrate the appropriation of topics of interest.
Reports and discussions
Students will exercise the capacity of critical thinking, and oral and written expression through the presentation of reports and discussions about videos or documentaries with respect to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Presentation of results
Individual and group presentations of the results of analysis and research of almost all activities will develop in students the ability to communicate orally and graphically to demonstrate knowledge assimilated through assignments. Students must also present their action proposal in order to demonstrate their convincing communication skills in English or Spanish (depending on their native language)
Educational resources
In order to guarantee good development of the course, therefore to guarantee learning, the following resources are available: an updated bibliographic database, multimedia equipment that students can use for their individual presentations; whiteboards and other school equipment for weekly sessions, and readings provided by the educator. All of these complement the suggested projects and provide the students with higher possibilities of knowledge own ship. Most of the lessons will take place in the classroom.
During independent work periods students will be able to attend the institution
A campus library, study rooms, and computer labs are available for the students´ independent work time. Free Wi-Fi connection for students, educators, and staff is provided on campus, which gives students the possibility to work not only in the library or computer labs, but also around campus.
Evaluation Table:
RUBRIC
WIEGHT/GRADE
3 Case Studies: (10% each) Choices:
 The case of Costa Rica – Sexuality and diversity
 Case Study – The LGBTQI+ movement
 Regional Indicator Maps– Human rights advances, law, policy and limits
 Case study – free theme.
30%
5 film and documentary viewings, summaries and reflections (5% each film)
25%
Essay and presentation:
 Theme of choice in relation to the Latin American and/or Caribbean LGBTQI+ community
15%
Group Work project and presentation:
30%
 Investigation and comparison of a selection of case studies and testimonies.
TOTAL
100%
Rubric for the evaluation of case studies:
The case study method promotes the learning of three basic aspects: the management of knowledge, reflective practice and contemplation and design of solutions. Three case studies will be explored and evaluated. The cases will be summarized according to the main actors, events, issues, dates and outcomes (and according to answering the following pattern for case study analysis: who was involved, where, when, what happened, how and why?). The major issues will be highlighted and illustrated with clear examples from the case studies or similar cases. Major indicators and data will be extracted and discussed for its relevance and meaning. Solutions will be discussed and suggested. Students will choose the case studies according to their interests within the following areas.
3 Case Studies: (10% each) Choices:
 The case of Costa Rica – Sexuality and diversity
 Case Study – The LGBTQI+ movement
 Regional Indicator Maps– Human rights advances, law, policy and limits
 Case study – free theme.
Students will identify the problematic and major contentious issues, evaluate, discuss, and report on the solvability of the case. Solutions will be provided based on observations, similar cases, and discussion outcomes.
Each case has a value of 10% for a total value of 30%. The case studies will be evaluated through the following criteria:

*Course content subject to change