PRLS 1001: Introduction to Puerto Rican and Latin@ Studies (Santiago)

WEEK #

DATE

READINGS DUE

ASSIGNMENTS DUE

Week 1

8/28

WELCOME & COURSE OVERVIEW

• Introductions

• Expectations & Review of Syllabus

• Walkthrough of BB

• Questions

• Def Poetry- Lemon and Flaco- “Boriquas”

Writing Assignment 

on BB

Due by 3:00 PM on Wednesday

Week 2

9/4

LAS RAÍCES & TERMINOLOGY

• Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: (Chapter 2) 

• Why People Are Using The Term “Latinx”. 

• LATINE Vs. LATINX: What They Mean, Why They Matter

LATINX-ETHNIC STUDIES & POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE 

• Chapter 9- Brooklyn College: An Activist in Academia in Nieto, Sonia, Brooklyn Dreams: My Life in Public Education.

In class film: Making the Impossible Possible: The Story of Puerto Rican Studies in Brooklyn College 

In class film: Precious Knowledge

Writing Assignment 

on BB

Due Tuesday 9/3, 

11:59 PM

Week 3

9/11

RACE, COLORISM, & AFRO-LATINIDAD

• Article: Many Latinos think that having a darker skin color hurts their ability to get ahead, Pew survey finds

• Colorism in the Latinx Community 

• Latin America Tried to Eliminate Black People- And Failed

• Breaking Down the Anti-Blackness of Latinidad 

In class video- 'Corazón de América’ examines colorism in the Latino community | ABC News

Writing Assignment 

on BB

Due Tuesday 9/10, 

11:59 PM

Week 4

9/18

AMBIGUOUS BORDERS

• Chapter 2 & 5 “Borderwall as Architecture” 

MEXICO, MEXICANS

• Chapter 1 & 2 in “The homeland, Aztlán/El otro México” Anzaldúa, G. (1987). 

• Borderlands: la frontera (Vol. 3). San Francisco: Aunt Lute. 

IMMIGRATION POLICY, DETENTION CENTERS, & UNACCOMPANIED MINORS

• Immigration and Customs Enforcement “Who Are We” and “What We Do” page. (Students to use online resource to locate).  

In class film: Lost in Detention (PBS)

Writing Assignment 

on BB

Due Tuesday 9/17, 

11:59 PM

Week 5

9/25

PUERTO RICO, PUERTO RICANS

• Puerto Ricans by Maria Perez Y Gonzalez

• Essay: The Law That Made Puerto Ricans U.S. Citizens, Yet Not Fully Americans by Dr. Charles Venator. 

• Podcast: Latino USA “Why Ricky Resigned” 

In class film: Puerto Rico: America’s Forgotten Territory

Review of Research Paper Expectations (Step 1)

Writing Assignment 

on BB

Due Tuesday 9/24, 

11:59 PM

Week 6

10/2

NO CLASSES SCHEDULED

Week 7

10/9

PUERTO RICO, PUERTO RICANS CONT’D

• The Puerto Rican Tragedy, Magical Urbanism

• Life Story: Antonia Pantoja (1922–2002)

• Hidden Voices: The ‘Passionate Life’ of Dr. Antonia Pantoja

In class film: Antonia Pantoja: Presente!

Writing Assignment 

on BB

Due Tuesday 10/8, 

11:59 PM

Week 8

10/16

MUSIC, BELONGING, AND CONNECTION

In class film: The Latin Explosion: The New America

In class film: The Latino List

In class film: Mambo to Hip Hop

Submit Research Paper Topic (STEP #1)

for Approval 

Week 9

10/23

US IMPACT ON LATIN AMERICA

• Fleeing a Hell the US Helped Create: Why Central Americans Journey North

In class film: Harvest of Empire

Writing Assignment 

on BB

Due Tuesday 10/22, 

11:59 PM

Week 10

10/30

MIDTERM ASSESSMENT

Research Topic Intros

Research Paper

Proposal (STEP #2)

Due

Week 11

11/6

RESILIENCE, LANGUAGE & EDUCATION

• Chapter 16- Latin@ Languages & Identities in Suárez-Orozco & Páez, Latinos Remaking America. 

In class film: Walkout

Writing Assignment 

on BB

Due Tuesday 11/5, 

11:59 PM

Week 12

11/13

CENTRAL AMERICA-AMERICANS

• Central American Immigrants in the United States

• Podcast: Latino USA- Seeking Asylum, Seeking to Stay Together 

SOUTH AMERICA-AMERICANS

• South American Immigrants in the United States

Chapter 5 in Zatz & Rodriguez, Dreams and Nightmares: Immigration Policy, Youth, and Families 

Writing Assignment 

on BB

Due Tuesday 11/12, 

11:59 PM

Week 13

11/20

FAMILIES, GENDER & LATINIDAD 

• She Was There Too

In class film: Dolores: Rebel. Activist. Feminist. Mother.

Writing Assignment 

on BB

Due Tuesday 11/19, 

11:59 PM

Week 14

11/27

CLASSES FOLLOW A FRIDAY SCHEDULE

Week 15

12/4

IDENTITY, INCLUSION, EMPOWERMENT & PUERTO RICAN RESISTANCE

• McCormick, J., & Ayala, C. J. (2007). Felicita "La Prieta" Mendez (1916-1998) and the end of Latino school segregation in California. CENTRO: Journal of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, 19(2), 12-36. 

• Westcott, Jim. “A Brief History of the Young Lords.”

• ¡PALANTE, SIEMPRE PALANTE!, The Young Lords by Iris Morales. (Trailer)

• Puerto Rican Political Prisoners in U.S. Prisons

In class film: Takeover

Writing Assignment 

on BB

Due Tuesday 12/3, 

11:59 PM

Research Paper 

Due

Week 16

12/11

REFLECTIONS AND ASSESSMENT 

• On Becoming by Nelly Rosario

FINAL EXAM REVIEW

Writing Assignment 

on BB

Due Tuesday 12/10, 

11:59 PM

Week 17

12/18

FINAL EXAM 

THURSDAY: 6:00 PM- 8:00 PM

ONLINE