Module Identifier SP30510  
Module Title SPANISH AMERICA 2-LITERATURE AND SOCIETY IN ARGENTINA  
Academic Year 2007/2008  
Co-ordinator Mr Matthew Richards  
Semester Intended for use in future years  
Next year offered N/A  
Next semester offered N/A  
Pre-Requisite (Normally) Eligibility for entry to Level 3 Spanish.  
Course delivery Lecture   1 per week  
  Seminars / Tutorials   4 per semester  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam2 Hours Written exam. 2 essays in 2 hours  70%
Semester Assessment Continuous Assessment: Essay 2000-2500 words  30%
Supplementary Exam 1 x 2 hour examination if continuous assessment submitted. 1 x 3 hour examination if no continuous assessment submitted.100%

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module students will:

1) have an insight into major trends of Argentine history with particular references to the Anglo-Argentine Alliance and Peronism;
2) be able to relate key literary texts to their historical, social or cultural background;
3) be able to explian and evaluate literary texts with greater critical awareness
4) have had further developed skills in making
   a) oral presentations
   b) writing essays

Brief description

A brief introduction to Argentine society, followed by the detailed study of two representative but contrasting authors: Jose Hernandez and Jorge Luis Borges.

Argentina is perhaps the most European of all Latin American countries as a result of mass immigration and Europeanising policies adopted in the second half of the nineteenth century. This module offers a brief introduction to Argentine society, followed by detailed study of two representative but contrasting texts. Hernandez's 'Martin Fierro' was a defence of the local gaucho against the consequence of change, while Borges reflects the cosmopolitanism of twentieth-century Argentina. It is an advantage, but not a prerequisite, to have taken module SP20510.

Content

weeks 1-3   Argentina, 1852-1992.
weeks 4-5   Jose Hernandez, 'Martin Fierro'
weeks 6-11   The Prose Fiction of Jorge Luis Borges

Reading Lists

Books
** Should Be Purchased
Jorge Luis Borges El Aleph Alianza
Jorge Luis Borges Ficciones Alianza
** Essential Reading
Jose Hernández Martin Fierro Catedra
** Supplementary Text
Amaral, Samuel. (1998.) The rise of capitalism on the pampas :the estancias of Buenos Aires, 1785-1870 /Samuel Amaral. Cambridge University Press 0521572487
Auyero, Javier. (2001.) Poor people's politics: Peronist survival networks and the legacy of Evita /Javier Auyero. Duke University Press 0822326272
Ferns, H. S. (1977.) Britain and Argentina in the nineteenth century /by H[enry] S. Ferns. Arno Press 0405097727
Grindle, Merilee Serrill. (2000.) Audacious reforms: institutional invention and democracy in Latin America /Merilee S. Grindle. Johns Hopkins University Press 0801864208
Levitsky, Steven. (2003.) Transforming labor-based parties in Latin America :Argentine Peronism in comparative perspective /Steven Levitsky. http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/cam031/2002067726.html Cambridge University Press 0521816777
Plotkin, Mariano Ben (2003.) Manana es San Peron: a cultural history of Peron's Argentina /Mariano Ben Plotkin. Scholarly Resources 0842050280
Rock, David (1975.) Argentina in the twentieth century Duckworth 0715606484
Rock, David (1986.) Argentina, 1516-1982: from Spanish colonization to the Falklands War /David Rock. Tauris 1850430136
Rock, David (1987.) Argentina, 1516-1987: from Spanish colonization to Alfons in /David Rock. University of California Press 0520061780
Romero, Luis Alberto. (c2002 (2003 pri) A history of Argentina in the twentieth century /Luis Alberto Romero ; translated by James P. Brennan. Pennsylvania State University Press 0271021918
Shumway, Nicolas. (c1991.) The invention of Argentina University of California Press 0520069064ALKPAPER
Smith, Peter H (1969.) Politics and beef in Argentina; patterns of conflict and change /[by] Peter H. Smith. Columbia University Press
(1993.) Argentina since independence /edited by Leslie Bethell. Cambridge University Press 0521439884
(1972.) Historia argentina /[dirigida por Tulio Halperin Donghi]. Editorial Paidos
(1973.) Jose Hernandez :estudios reunidos en conmemoraci on del Centenario de El gaucho Mart in Fierro, 1872-1972. Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Faculdad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educaci on
(1998.) Peronism and Argentina /edited by James P. Brennan. SR Books 0842027068
([1980]) Proyecto y construcci on de una naci on :Argentina, 1846-1880 /selecci on, pr ologo y cronolog ia, Tulio Halperin Donghi. Biblioteca Ayacucho 8466000399

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6