Modern Languages Courses

Semester specific course descriptions

Chinese

101, 102. Elementary Chinese.
This two-semester sequence provides an introduction to the speaking, reading, writing and oral comprehension of modern Mandarin Chinese. Films, Web sites and other current materials from China will be used to acquaint the student with contemporary Chinese culture and colloquial usage. Class sessions plus lab. Open to students with no prior study of Chinese.

103. Intermediate Chinese.
This is a course in intermediate Mandarin Chinese. The course content stresses all the basic language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Emphasis is on active use of the students’ vocabulary and grammar. Students are supported in their study by the reference and audio-visual materials in the Language Resource Center Chinese collection, the Virtual Lab system, and internet links on the Chinese 103 ANGEL site. Students will benefit from a wide variety of study materials, including realia, audio and visual materials, and a textbook. Students are encouraged to work with one of the course tutors. The course includes some material every week on Chinese geography, history, culture and society.

French

101, 102. Elementary French.
This two-semester sequence provides an introduction to basic structures and develops skills in speaking, reading, writing and oral comprehension. In class and in the language laboratory, current materials from France and other French-speaking countries are used to familiarize students with aspects of language and contemporary culture. Open to students with little or no prior study of the French language.

103, 104. Intermediate French.
This two-semester sequence provides a review of basic structures and practice in the skills needed for communication in speaking and writing. The basic text and literary and cultural readings are supplemented by resources in the language laboratory, including radio dramas, films, audio and videotapes and lectures on French and Francophone culture. Designed for students with two or more years of high school French who wish to improve their grasp of basic skills and enlarge their working vocabulary. Prerequisite: French 101, 102 or the equivalent.

200. Advanced French: Contemporary France.
Review and expansion of the four skills with emphasis on the oral and written expression of ideas in French topics of current interest and cultural significance in the French-speaking world. Materials studied include films, journalistic texts, songs and literary texts. For students who have completed French 104, or who have had at least four years of French at the secondary level. Also offered through European Studies.

202. Advanced French: French-Speaking Regions.
This course has a dual focus: linguistic and cultural. Students will spend only a small part of their time reviewing important grammar points, but much more time on other areas of language such as vocabulary-building, idiomatic usage, oral expression and writing. The thematic focus of the course is contemporary France. Students will learn about the social and political institutions in France, and about current cultural practices. Films, radio, Web sites, cartoons, popular music, newspapers and magazines will be employed to expand the study of French society and language. Students completing French 200 usually enroll in French 202 in the spring semester. Offered fall semester.

215, 216. Introduction to French Culture.
These courses are recommended for majors and other advanced students, especially those intending to study in France. They look at the principal elements of French culture in their historical context: literature, art, architecture, music and philosophy through major periods of development; the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Classicism and Age of Enlightenment in 215; Romanticism, Realism, Symbolism, Surrealism and other important trends in the 20th century. In 216, both oral reports and papers are assigned. Students need not take 215 to enroll in 216; 215 offered fall semes­ter, 216 offered spring semester. Also offered through European Studies.

231. French Conversation Through Theater and Film.
This course is intended to improve skills in speaking and oral comprehension through French theater and film. The course will be conducted as a workshop. Students will read French plays and perform scenes from them. They will also write and stage scenes inspired by the plays and films. Designed for students who have completed French 200 or a higher-level course. Not open to students returning from study in France. Offered fall semester.

232. Creative Writing.
This course is designed for students wishing to develop skills and a sense of style in written expression, especially in preparation for possible study in France. Students examine various literary and non-literary models of expression and write texts based on these and other subjects. Prerequisite: French 200 or the equivalent. Not open to students returning from study in France. Offered spring semester.

403. Modern Prose Fiction in France.
This course examines the themes, techniques and socio-political contexts of the 20th-century novel. Choice of authors will vary from year to year, but has included Mauriac, Gide, Proust, Sartre, Camus, Malraux, Robbe-Grillet, Tournier, Modiano, Duras and others. Also offered through European Studies.

404. French Film.
This course combines an historical view of the French cinema, an introduction to the techniques of film analysis and an examination of the major issues in film theory. Topics include the pioneers of cinema, the “classical” films of the 1930s and ’40s, the films of the “nouvelle vague” in the ’50s and ’60s and recent trends in film production. The work of filmmakers such as Renoir, Clouzot, Truffaut, Beineix, Godard and Resnais will be studied. Also offered through Film Studies.

405. Poetic Expression.
This course is concerned with the study of poetics and the de­-velopment of the lyric tradition in France, including major periods of poetic expression from the Middle Ages to the 20th century: Villon, Ronsard, the Romantics, Baudelaire, the Symbolists, Apollinaire and Valery. Also offered through European Studies.

413. The Theater of the Classical Age.
This course studies selected plays of Corneille, Moliere, Racine, Marivaux and Beaumarchais. It will examine dramatic theory and the characteristics of Classical and Baroque theatre, as well as the cultural milieu and arts in 17th- and 18th-century France. Also offered through European Studies.

417. Studies in the 19th Century French Novel.
This course will focus on the novels in the major movements of 19th-century French literature: Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism. It will examine literary texts not only as works of art, but also in relation to the social and political contexts out of which they grew. Course content may vary from time to time, but emphasis is placed on Chateaubriand, Balzac, Stendhal, Flaubert and Zola. Also offered through European Studies.

425, 426. Seminar.
The topic changes and is announced prior to registration. Also offered through European Studies .

428. French Women Writers.
A study of major writers such as Mme. de La Fayette, George Sand, Colette, Triolet, Duras, Sarraute. French feminist theory is also introduced. Also offered through European Studies.

489, 490. SYE: Independent Study.
For senior students specially qualified. Offered on demand. Also offered through Caribbean and Latin American Studies.

497, 498. SYE: Honors Project.
See Honors in the introductory section on departmental curriculum.

Study in France.
See the International and Intercultural Studies section of this Catalog.

German

101, 102. Elementary German.
Introduction to the speaking, understanding, reading and writing of German. The text series presents the language in the context of everyday life in modern Germany, including many situations a visit­or to Germany might encounter. Class sessions plus laboratory. Open to students with little or no prior German. Students receive credit for each individual semester after successful completion.

103. Intermediate German.
Further development of the four language skills through a thorough review of grammar, written and oral practice and the introduction of short literary texts by modern German authors. Off-the-air broadcasting, computer programs, videos, etc., enhance language learning. Class sessions plus laboratory. Prerequisite: German 101, 102 or the equivalent.

104. Intermediate German: Special Topics.
Further development of the four language skills through special topics. Readings are on the appropriate levels supplemented by films — for example, Popular Youth Literature and Film — literature written for young people, some even written by young authors. This type of reading facilitates vocabulary building and cultural literacy training and lends itself to discussions and Web site building in small groups. Films portraying youth and young adults provide further material for language development. Class session, plus lab. Prerequisite: intermediate reading and comprehension ability, German 102-103 equivalent.

201. Conversation through Media and Film (Advanced German).
This course aims at improving students’ German speaking and communication skills through many forms of oral expression: discussions, class presentations, stage readings, interviews and performances of short scenes from plays and films. For this purpose, the students will watch films, German television and items on the Internet as well as read short plays, newspapers and magazines. There will also be short writing exercises and selective grammar reviews. Students enrolling in this course should have completed German 103, 104 or the equivalent.

202. Advanced German : Special Topics.
This course is a continuation of German 201 further improving the oral and written communications skills. Special topics will be chosen for this level, for example The Holocaust in Youth Literature. The teaching and learning materials in this course on the holocaust are especially accessible to young adults. The students will read short internationally acclaimed works of popular fiction and view films portraying young people caught in the nefarious web of the Nazi regime and its racist politics. Emphasis will be on discussion, oral presentations, creation of Web sites and brief essays. Other topics: Important figures in German History, Performance of Short Plays, German Nobel Prize Winners. Prerequisite: adequate reading and comprehension abilities. Also offered through European Studies.

217. 20th-Century German Literature.
The course is designed to introduce students to German literature and culture through the study of a wide variety of well-known works. It also teaches the methods of analytical interpretation and critical evaluation of literature and its genres. Readings from authors such as Mann, Kafka, Hesse, Brecht, Böll, Grass. Also offered through European Studies.

218. The New German Film.
The German film experienced a rebirth in the 1970s with a new generation of talented film directors, such as Schlondorf, Herzog and Fassbinder. The course examines the films of the last 30 years with the aim to acquaint students with the methods of analyzing and interpreting this art form. This course also studies the relationship between the visual and literary arts by introducing some of the literary texts. In addition, the films contribute to an understanding of German history and culture. Also offered through Film Studies, Literature in Translation and European Studies.

219. Vienna: Turn of the Century.
The mood in Vienna around 1900 has been described as “a nervous splendor.” The centuries-old Habsburg Empire was rapidly approaching its end, undermined by the ethnic turmoil that would soon contribute to the outbreak of World War I. But in this atmosphere of impending change, there was a flourishing of art, architecture, music, literature, psychology and philosophy that made Vienna one of the birthplaces of Modernism. The course will examine the developments in all these fields and the connections among them. Attention will also be given to the ways Vienna still reflects the revolutionary patterns of thought that emerged there a century ago. Also offered through European Studies.

247. Special Topics.
Courses focusing on specific topics such as the literature and film of World War II, the holocaust, literature and music. These topics will be announced prior to registration and generally have no prerequisites.

316. Love and Sex, Marriage and Divorce in German Literature.
Readings focus on prominent works from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries that best represent morals, values and customs of their time and society. Recordings and films supplement readings. Also offered through European Studies.

335. Reality and Fantasy.
What is reality? If it consists only of those phenomena directly perceptible to the five senses, then to what realm do thought, emotion, dream, hallucination and artistic creativity belong? Is the only alternative to “living in the real world” insanity, or is it possible to break through the limits of mundane reality into a higher world? German romanticists, realists, naturalists, expressionists and contemporary writers have answered these questions in differing ways. This course examines the works of such authors with special attention to their relevance to our world view today.

337. The Individual and Society.
The individual in conflict with his or her society is an important subject in German literature, as in most other literatures. Some authors have taken the side of society, stressing the rebel’s need to mature and to conform to the expectations of the community. Others have portrayed the rebel as a hero and his society (often a veiled image of the author’s own) as worthy of rejection if not destruction. This course examines the variation in the treatment of this theme over time, as well as the varying attitudes toward society of Swiss, Austrian and German authors. Also offered through European Studies.

423, 424. Seminar.
Intensive study of a specific topic: an author, a literary movement or an individual work. The topic changes each semester and is announced prior to registration. Open to seniors and advanced students.

489, 490. SYE: Independent Study.
For especially qualified students with permission of the instructor.

497, 498. SYE: Honors Project.
See Honors in the introductory section on department curriculum.

Study in Austria.
See the International and Intercultural Studies section of this Catalog .

Italian

101, 102. Elementary Italian.
This two-semester sequence provides an introduction to basic structures and develops skills in speaking, reading, writing and oral comprehension. In class and in the language laboratory, current materials from Italy are used to familiarize students with aspects of language and contemporary culture. Italian 101 (offered fall semester) is open to students with little or no prior study of the Italian language; Italian 102 (spring) requires 101 or its equivalent.

Japanese

101, 102. Elementary Japanese.
An introductory course in Japanese designed for students with no prior background. Stress is placed on the spoken language, but reading and writing skills are also systematically studied. Audio and video materials are used in the language laboratory to supplement the main text and workbook and to acquaint the students with Japanese culture. This course is a prerequisite for all students who plan to participate in St. Lawrence’s exchange programs in Japan. Elementary Japanese fulfills the Mathematics/Foreign Language distribution requirement. Also offered through Asian Studies.

103, 104. Intermediate Japanese.
This course provides further study of the basic four skills in Japanese — listening, speaking, reading and writing, to be supplemented by audiovisual materials in the laboratory. More kanji characters will be introduced. Prerequisite: Japanese 102 or the equivalent for 103; 103 for 104. Placement of students who have studied Japanese elsewhere is made in consultation with the instructor. Also offered through Asian Studies.

224. Modern Japanese Literature and Film
An introduction to modern Japanese literature from the late 19th century to the present in English translation. Such major writers as Ogai, Soseki, Akutagawa, Tanizaki, Kawabata, Mishima and Abe will be studied and supplemented by films based on their novels. Special attention will be paid to Western influences on the evolution of modern Japanese literature. Fulfills the Diversity and Humanities requirements. Also offered through Literature in Translation.

225. Japanese Film and Culture.
This course examines Japanese film in style and in content with particular reference to its cultural implications, ancient and modern. It will explore a wide variety of masterpieces by such directors as Kurosawa, Ozu, Mizoguchi, Kobayashi, Shinoda, Teshigahara, Oshima and others, as well as anime of Tezuka and Miyazaki that represent contemporary Japanese culture. All their works are internationally acclaimed for their high artisitic quality and thought-provoking themes. Textual and script readings as well as background materials will be analyzed. Fulfills the Diversity and Humanities requirements. Also offered through Literature in Translation.

226. Introduction to Japanese Drama.
A study of Japanese drama in its historical, theatrical and literary aspects from the Classical Theatres of Noh, Kabuki and Bunraku to the modern New Theatre and avant-garde experiments. The growth and characteristics of each theatre are examined as a living tradition in the broad cultural context of Asia, Japan and the West, with the use of films. Readings are in English. Fulfills the Diversity and Humanities requirements. Also offered as Performance and Communication Arts 226 and through Literature in Translation.

490. Independent Study
Also offered through Asian Studies.

490. Independent Study
Also offered through Asian Studies.

Spanish

101, 102. Elementary Spanish.
The principal goal is the acquisition of a basic level of communicative ability in Spanish. Video, film, audiotapes and the Internet provide current materials from Hispanic America, Spain and the United States Latino community to enhance language learning and knowledge of the culture. Language laboratory activities advance conversational skills and oral comprehension. Open to students with little or no prior study of the language.

103, 104. Intermediate Spanish.
Spoken and written Spanish are reinforced by a review of grammar and idiomatic strategies for self-expression. The course includes use of videos, music, literature, news broadcasts and the Internet as a means for understanding the contemporary culture of Hispanic America and Spain. Materials in the language laboratory facilitate conversation and increased oral comprehension. Prerequisite: Spanish 101, 102 or equivalent. Also offered through Caribbean and Latin American Studies.

201. Advanced Spanish.
Review and expansion of the four skills with emphasis on the oral and written expression of ideas in Spanish on topics of current interest and cultural significance in the Spanish-speaking world. Materials studied include journalistic texts, videos, audiotapes, songs and literary works. For students who have completed Spanish 103, 104 or who have four years or more of Spanish at the secondary level. Also offered through Caribbean and Latin American Studies.

202. Hispanic Cultural Studies.
A language course with the aim of acquainting students with current Hispanic culture through the analysis of literary texts, films, advertisements and other materials drawn from Spain, Hispanic America and the Latino community in the United States. Includes a research project on a cultural topic. Also offered through Caribbean and Latin American Studies.

203. Spanish for Spanish Speakers.
Designed for students who speak Spanish at home but have been educated primarily in English, this course enhances oral and written expression and reading comprehension. It includes extensive practice with the conventions of written Spanish and many activities designed to expand vocabulary. Course materials include literary and journalistic readings, films and videos selected to provide an understanding of the Spanish-speaking community in the United States, Hispanic America and Spain. This class is accepted in lieu of Spanish 201 for the Spanish major and for students who wish to study in Costa Rica or Spain.

211. Introduction to Latin American Cultures.
This course presents major topics related to history and culture in Latin America and includes an analysis of cultural pluralism in selected areas of the region. Representative documents in Spanish such as literary works, newspaper articles and videos are studied to illustrate changes in the social patterns of the culture and facilitate the enhancement of language skills. Not open to students who have completed a more advanced course. Taught in Spanish. Also offered through Caribbean and Latin American Studies.

213. Introduction to the Cultures of Spain.
A study of the development of the cultures of Spain through history, art, music and literature. The course includes an analysis of Spanish cultural pluralism and its origins. Sources used include literary works, texts on aspects of Spanish culture and history, videos and film, examples of Spanish art and music and material drawn from the Internet. Not open to students who have completed a more advanced course. Taught in Spanish. Also offered through European Studies.

221. Latin America in Film.
This class examines how Latin America is represented in films by directors from Hispanic America, Brazil, Europe and the United States. The films will form the basis of conversation and research on themes related to contemporary history, inter-ethnic conflict, traditional gender roles and immigration. The class is conducted entirely in Spanish, though some of the theoretical and technical readings on film will be done in English.

241. Latinos in the United States.
This course introduces students to the sociohistorical, political, economic and cultural elements that shape the Latino identity in the United States. Drawing from the growing body of literature —poetry, fiction, testimonial narrative, theatre, critical essays — by various Latino/a writers, the course explores issues of “race,” immigration policy, class, education, language, religion, cultural identity and representation. The class is conducted in Spanish, although some readings are in English. Course materials also include videotapes, news, documentaries, music, etc. Also offered through U.S. Cultural and Ethnic Studies.

247, 248. Special Topics.
Designed for students who have completed Spanish 201, 202, special topics courses offer the opportunity to study specific topics in Hispanic culture. Recent examples include seminars on Latin America in film and representations of women in Spanish film. Also offered through Caribbean and Latin American Studies.

423. Introduction to Spanish Literature.
An overview of the literature of the Spanish people. Readings from the major periods, from the earliest literature to the present. Authors studied include Cervantes, Calderón, Federico Garcìa Lorca and Carmen Martín Gaite. The works are treated as representative, thematically and aesthetically, of their respective ages and the traditions of their genre. Also offered through European Studies.

439. Literature, Film and Popular Culture in Contemporary Spain.
After the Franco regime (1939-1975), Spaniards began to explore and question cultural, historical and sexual identity. This course examines post-totalitarian Spanish literature, arts and popular culture made possible by the political transition to democracy. The aim is to use the theoretic framework of cultural studies as a means of understanding contemporary Spanish culture. Materials analyzed include films, television programs and commercials, novels, short stories, magazines and popular songs. Also offered through Film Studies and European Studies.

440. Poetry, Music and Ethics.
From the classic song “Guantanamera” to the recent “Los Hijos de las Piedras” (Marwan), intersections between poetry and music in Spain and Latin America have been enriching, stimulating and renovating for both arts. These innovative collaborations also represent powerful ethical commitments to ongoing social struggles. In this class we will study important works of social poetry and music in relation to the sociohistorical moments in which they were produced. These include works by Jose Marti, Antonio Machado, Miguel Hernandez, Cesar Vallejo, Octavio Paz, Pablo Neruda, Luis Edurdo Aute, Joan Manuel Serrat, Victor Jara, Silvio Rodriguez, Atahualpa Yupanki, Violeta Parra, Mercedes Sosa, Joaquin Sabina, Ismael Serrano, and Marwan, among others. Students will read and write poems or songs which they will perform publicly, after practicing extensively in class, in the Poetry for Peace reading series at SLU. They will also write analytical papers which will contextualize historically the ethical commitments to which these songs and poems are calling our attention.

443. Contemporary Hispanic American Literature.
A study of 20th-century literature in Hispanic America as well as in the United States from diverse genres that include poetry, prose fiction, theater and testimonial works. Authors read usually include Rubén Darío, Gabriel García Márquez, Pablo Neruda, Rosario Ferré and Gloria Anzaldúa, among others. Also offered through Caribbean and Latin American Studies.

444. Introduction to Hispanic American Literature.
Indigenous oral traditions and texts from the period prior to the arrival of the Europeans are examined as well as works from the colonial period to the present. Authors studied from the colonial period include Bernal Díaz del Castillo, Bartolomé de las Casas and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Contemporary authors studied include Borges, García Márquez, Allende and Rigoberta Menchú. Also offered through Caribbean and Latin American Studies.

445. Literary Translation: Theory and Practice.
In this workshop, students will use translation as a tool to learn how to express themselves more effectively in both English and Spanish. Theorists such as Octavio Paz, José Ortega y Gasset, Willis Barnstone, Carol Maier, Walter Benjamin, Tejaswini Niranjana and others help illuminate the practice of translation in a variety of genres that include poetry, autobiography, book reviews, and subtitling of films. The course is for students with considerable background in Spanish, including, preferably, residence in a Spanish-speaking country. Also offered through Caribbean and Latin American Studies.

446. Oral Expression in Spanish.
Analysis of contemporary oral usage through the study of film, video and audio materials as well as printed texts. Advanced pronunciation practice. Study of techniques of oral presentation. Assignments are designed to promote the development of persuasive skills and include formal debates on contemporary issues and other public speaking activities. Also offered through Caribbean and Latin American Studies.

447, 448. Special Topics.
Designed for students at any level above Spanish 211 and 213, these courses offer the opportunity to study specific topics in the Spanish language or Hispanic culture. Examples include Latinos in the United States; post-Franco Spanish society in film; Latin American women writers; Afrohispanic culture and literature; the representation of the Amerindian in contemporary Hispanic American literature; and the study of specific authors such as Pablo Neruda or Carmen Martìn Gaite. Also offered through Caribbean and Latin American Studies.

489, 490. SYE: Independent Study.
Also offered through Caribbean and Latin American Studies.

497, 498. SYE: Honors Project.
Working closely with a faculty member, the student develops a project related to Spanish-language literature or culture. Projects may include translations from Spanish to English and they may be interdisciplinary. Students are encouraged to use a variety of media in their projects and, if they participate in a St. Lawrence program in Costa Rica or Spain, to relate their projects to that experience. For additional information, see the description of Honors in the introductory section of the departmental curriculum.

Study in Spain
The following Spanish courses are offered in the Madrid program. Courses are also available in anthropology, economics, English, gender studies, global studies, government, history, fine arts and psychology, either as regular offerings or by special arrangement.

Fall

300S. Masters of the Spanish School: El Greco, Velazquez, Goya and Picasso. (1 unit, 3.6 credits)
A study of the work of four major Spanish painters, each of whom is considered the greatest painter of his period in Spain: El Greco (Renaissance), Velazquez (Baroque), Goya (Neoclassicism/Romanticism), Picasso (20th century). The course includes a weekly class in one of the museums in Madrid such as the Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen collection.

301S. Advanced Practical Spanish.
A unit course emphasizing spoken and written Spanish skills. The course is designed to help students achieve and maintain the ling-uistic skills needed for the program’s other courses and for person-al and professional activities. Required for program participants.

322S. Introduction to International Economics.
The theory of international trade and finance and its application to current policy problems such as protection, intervention in foreign exchange markets, international debt and foreign investment. This course is accepted for major credit. Prerequisite: Economics, 251, 252.

323S. Introduction to Spanish Literature.
See description for Spanish 423.

335S. The Spanish Village.
Through readings, interviews and detailed personal observation, students investigate the economic, political and social structure of rural Spain. Includes residence in a village and seminars in Segovia. Required for fall semester program participants.

347S. Migrations and Cultural Diversity in Contemporary Spain.
Students will become familiar with migration and cultural diversity in Spanish society from an anthropological and socio-cultural perspective. The course will introduce basic notions of socio-cultural anthropology in order to understand contemporary migrations, describe characteristics and problems of Spanish society in the framework of cultural diversity, and apply methodological tools of anthropology to present-day Spain. Field work includes visits to public organizations, neighborhoods, public spaces, commercial establishments and cultural institutions.

358S. The Madrid Stage.
A study of the contemporary theatre in Spain with a focus on the current season through readings, interviews, discussions and weekly theatre attendance.

367S. Political Process in Contemporary Spain. (1 unit, 3.6 credits)
Focus is on the various political systems (absolute monarchy, republic, dictatorship, constitutional monarchy) which have characterized Spanish politics during the 20th century. The transition from dictatorship to democracy and the salient elements of the current system are emphasized. Arrangements can be made to take this as a History credit.

Spring

300S. History of Spanish Art
An overview of Spanish art from prehistoric cave painting to 20th century masters such as Picasso and Miro. Architectural monuments, sculptures and paintings are studied.

302S. Advanced Practical Spanish.
Continuation of Spanish 301S. Required for program participants.

330S. Politics and Governments of Western Democracies.
A study of the history and present structure of several European democracies and the United States. The class includes a segment on the European Union. This course is accepted for Government majors.

338S. Introduction to Spain.
An introduction to Spain for students who join the program in the second semester. During the first two weeks of the month-long program, students live in small cities in La Mancha, where they investigate the economic, political and social structure of the area through readings, interviews and detailed personal observation. The second two weeks are spent in Madrid with daily language classes and sessions on Spanish art, culture and government. A one-half unit course.

342S. Spanish Novel of the 20th Century.
An investigation of narrative prose from the Generation of ’98 (Unamuno) to the present (Cela, Martìn Gaite, Llamazares) as representative of the principal aesthetic and historical movements of the century.

344S. Introduction to Hispanic American Literature.
See description for Spanish 444.

347S. The Landscapes of Spain: Interpreting Nature and Culture. (.5 credits)
One of the best ways to learn about a country is to travel perceptively through its countryside, villages and cities. Landscapes are a good indicator of natural and cultural diversity. In observing human interaction with the physical environment, students will understand better how nature, communities and ways of life developed over time. This interdisciplinary course will contextualize the two major field trips of the spring semester program.

348S. History of an Emancipation: Women in Spain 1750-1995.
A study of women’s issues — particularly labor, education and the right to vote — in Spain from the Spanish Enlightenment through Francoism to Democratic Spain.

365S. The Spanish Economy, the EU and the Latin American Challenge.
This course analyzes the possibilities for economic cooperation between the European Union and Spain, and Latin American economies. Study will focus on the challenges associated with and the important structural changes that are taking place in Europe as well as Latin America in the context of the growing integration of both regions in international markets. Prerequisite: Economics 100.

For additional information on the program, see the International and Intercultural Studies chapter of this Catalog. Program brochures are available at the Office of International and ­Intercultural Studies.

Swahili

101, 102. Elementary Swahili.
The introductory course in Swahili enables students to speak and comprehend elementary Swahili phrases and sentences. The cultural component highlights important aspects of the life and people of East Africa. Oral skills are stressed to help students practice usage while writing helps the students understand the language better. The course is open to any student who wants to study a foreign language, to those interested in African studies and to those who are interested in the Kenya semester program. Two one-hour language labs every week enhance oral practice and are also used for remedial work. Also offered through African Studies.

247,248. Special Topics.

489, 490. SYE: Independent Study

Literature in (English) Translation

218. The New German Film.
The German film experienced a rebirth in the 1970s with a new generation of talented film directors, such as Schlondorf, Herzog and Fassbinder. This course examines the films of the last 20 years with the aim to acquaint students with the methods of analyzing and interpreting this art form. It also studies the relationship between the visual and literary arts by introducing some of the literary texts. In addition the films contribute to an understanding of German history and culture. Also offered as German 218 and through Film Studies and European Studies.

219. Vienna: Turn of the Century.
The mood in Vienna round 1900 has been described as “a nervous splendor.” The centuries-old Habsburg Empire was rapidly approaching its end, undermined by the ethnic turmoil that would soon contribute to the outbreak of World War I. But in this atmosphere of impending change, there was a flourishing of art, architecture, music, literature, psychology and philosophy that made Vienna one of the birthplaces of Modernism. The course will examine the new developments in all these fields and the connections among them. Attention will also be given to the ways in which Vienna today still reflects the revolutionary patterns of thought that emerged there a century ago. Texts will be in English translation. No prerequisites. Especially recommended for students interested in future participation in the St. Lawrence semes-ter program in Vienna. Also offered through European Studies.

224. Modern Japanese Literature and Film.
An introduction to modern Japanese literature from the late 19th century to the present in English translation. Such major writers as Ogai Soseki, Akutagawa, Tanizaki, Kawabata, Mishima and Abe will be studied and supplemented by films based on their novels. Special attention will be paid to Western influences on the evolution of modern Japanese literature. Fulfills the Diversity and Humanities requirements. Also offered through Asian Studies and Japanese.

225. Japanese Film and Culture.
This course examines Japanese film in style and in content with particular reference to its cultural implications, ancient and modern. It will explore a wide variety of masterpieces by such directors as Kurosawa, Ozu, Mizoguchi, Kobayashi, Shinoda, Teshigahara, Oshima, and others, as well as anime of Tezuka and Miyazaki that represent contemporary Japanese culture. All their works are internationally acclaimed for their high artistic quality and thought-provoking themes. Textual and script readings as well as background materials will be analyzed. Fulfills the Diversity and Humanities requirements. Also offered through Asian Studies, Film Studies and Japanese.

226. Introduction to Japanese Drama.
A study of Japanese drama in its historical, theatrical and literary aspects from the Classical Theatres of Noh, Kabuki and Bunraku to the modern New Theatre and avant-garde experiments. The growth and characteristics of each theatre are examined as a living tradition in the broad cultural context of Asia, Japan and the West, with the use of films. Readings are in English. Fulfills the Diversity and Humanities requirements. Also offered through Asian Studies, Japanese and Performance and Communication Arts.

377, 378. Special Studies in Literature.
The content of each course or section of the course is different and is announced in the Class Schedule each semester. Readings are in English.

489, 490. Independent Study.
For seniors or for especially qualified students with permission of instructor.

Modern Language

289, 290. Special Studies.
Work in languages not regularly included in departmental offerings.