Offered primarily in March, June, July and November. This course may be offered during other months if there are 4 or more students who sign up for the course.

This class will introduce themes relevant to Latin America as well as how these themes are presented in literature. The main focus however will be on Costa Rica.

Objectives:

-Read selected texts to comment on themes with social and cultural relevance to our society.
-Give the student the necessary tools to begin semantic analysis of texts.
-Improve and apply the student?s ability to critically analyze texts.
-Utilize theoretical instruments for self correction.
-Get to know Latin American and Costa Rican culture.
-Compare the different Latin American cultures and establish differences between regions.
-Distinguish the different ethnic groups that make up Costa Rica today.

Latin American and Costa Rican Culture:

-What is culture? The concept.
-Does Latin American culture exist?
-Underdevelopment in Latin America.

Cultural identity, the key to development in Latin America:

-The weight of multinational companies.
-The importance of the consumer society.
-Means of communication (true means of cultural dominance).
-Nature of international cooperation.
-Culture and creativity in Latin America.

Costa Rica:

-What is the population?
-What are the demographics?
-What year was it discovered?
-Why is it called Costa Rica?
-What is the geography?
-Mountain ranges.
-Valleys.
-Low lands.
-Rivers.
-Climate of Costa Rica.

Important points in Costa Rica history:

-What happened in 1856.
-Guanacaste and its annexation.
-Our indigenous, European and afro-Caribbean heritage.

Who came and when?

-1502 Columbus arrives on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
-African slaves brought from Nicaragua.
-In the 19th century (1801-1900) the European immigrants arrived.
-In 1877 arabs arrived, mainly Lebanese.
-From 1910-1950: Italians founded San Vito de Java.
-In 1915 the Standard Fruit Company was established.
-In 1950: Quakers from the United States founded Monteverde de Puntarenas.

Activities:

-Visit museums, art exhibitions.
-Visit to the Legislative Assembly.
-Interview with a national artist.

Literature:

-Analysis of writings by Latin American authors.
-Lecture, commentary and analysis of selected Latin American poetry.
-Lecture and analysis of selected Latin American novels and another work of universal literature such as ?The Little Prince,? by Antoine de Saint Exupery.
-Literal or explicit level and the level of inference in the novels studied.
-Lecture and commentary of popular expressions and refrains.
-Central and secondary idea of a story, poem, novel, conversation, news piece, etc.

Evaluation:

Participation 15%
Oral Presentation 15%
Lectures 15%
Homework 15%
Project Investigation and Pesentation 40%

Bibliography:

Müller Delgado, Marta Virginia. Curso básico de redacción. 2da. Edición san José: Editorial de la Universidad de Costa Rica; 1996.

Pazos, Ethel. Frecuentes errores del hispanohablante. 1ra. Edición San José: Editorial Alma Mater; 1996.

Pacheco Salazar, Viria y Alvarez Flores María. Comunicación Oral y Escrita. 2da. Edición San José, Costa Rica: Editorial G.O. Impresos, S.A.; 1997.

Müller Delgado, Marta Virginia. Técnicas de comunicación oral. 1ra. Edición San José: Editorial de la Universidad de Costa Rica; 1993.

Segura, Claudio y Cevo, Juan. América Nuestra Comunidad. 2da. Edición San José, Costa Rica. Editorial Universidad Estatal a Distancia; 1983.

Bolaños, Bolívar. Comunicación Escrita. Sétima Edición. San José, Costa Rica. Editorial Universidad Estatal a Distancia. 2001.

Karpinsky de Murillo, Rose Marie. Antología de Historia de la Cultura. Primera Edición San José, Costa Rica. Editorial Universidad de Cosa Rica; 1979.

Meléndez, Carlos. Historia de Costa Rica. Décima Edición San José, Costa Rica. Editorial Universidad Estatal a Distancia; 2000.

Océano. Enciclopedia de Costa Rica. Su Historia, Tierra y Gentes. Tomo I y II. Sexta Edición Barcelona, España. Editorial Grupo Océano.

*Course content subject to change