Class Web site: http://www.sip.uiuc.edu/melendez/blackidentities

Professor: Mariselle Meléndez
Office number: FLB 4032
Office phone number: 333-8058
E-mail: melendez@uiuc.edu
Office hours:
Mondays: 10:00-11:00 am
Wednesdays: 11:00-12:00pm
Class Web site: http://www.sip.uiuc.edu/melendez/blackidentities/
Spanish 390: "The Limits of Racial Formation:
Constructing Black Identities in Spanish American Colonial Texts"
This course examines the dynamics of identity construction of the
black subject in colonial Spanish America and its intrinsic
relations to issues of race, gender, and sexuality. We will
explore the racial politics of Church and State and the evolution
of
racial
constraints
as
seen
through
legal
documents,
chronicles, religious literature, poetry, newspapers, and visual
documents. The course focuses on how black bodies were
categorized and constructed within specific political and
cultural contexts by colonial authorities and other intellectual
sectors of the population, such as creoles and mestizo writers.
On the other hand, we also study how these subaltern subjects
destabilized the colonial order in their search for freedom and
power.
Works to be studied date from the early sixteenth century to the
late eighteenth century. Part of the class will be devoted to the
study of theoretical articles on the concept of race and issues
of subjectivity, identity and racial construction. We will
conclude our readings with Edgardo Rodríguez Juliá’s novel, La
noche oscura del niño Avilés (1984), which narrates an
eighteenth-century black revolt in the city of San Juan and the
subsequent seize of the city by the black slaves. Our readings of
this novel will concentrate on the novel’s metacritical nature,
specifically the manner in which colonial historiography is rewritten and re-invented with blacks being protagonists at the
center of historical “facts”. Class discussion, papers, and
written assignments will be in Spanish.
I. TEXBOOKS REQUIRED:
1. Packet of photocopies (UP CLOSE)
2. Books on reserve at the library (see *):
a. Bhabha, Hommi. The Location of Culture.
b. Canny, Anthony & A. Pagden (eds). Colonial Identity in
the Atlantic World. 1500-1800.
c. Sturken & Cartwright (eds). Practices of Looking.
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d.
Winant,
Howard.
Racial
Conditions.Politics,
Theory,
Comparisons.
3. Cruz, sor Juana Inés. Obras completas.
4.. Rodríguez Juliá, Edgardo. La noche oscura del niño Avilés.
II. Requirements:
Class participation
20%
Exam I (November 5)
30%
Presentation
10%
Paper (10 pages)
40%
100%
III. CLASSROOM POLICIES:
1. Attendance is expected. More than one unexcused absence and
your final class participation grade will be lowered.
2. You should be in class on time. Recurrent tardiness will
affect your class participation grade.
3. Class participation is essential. Active participation is
expected every week. It is also very important to bring to class
the textbooks that we are using. This will make easier for you to
follow the discussions.
4. The final paper should be turned in on Friday, December 12 at
1:00 PM. In fairness to all the students in class, late papers
(if accepted) will suffer a grade penalty. Details about what is
expected in the paper will be given early in the semester.
5. Details of the presentation will be given the first week of
class.
6.Academics codes of honor. Every student is expected to follow
the codes of honor and academic ethics as set forth in the
University’s
Codes
of
Policies
and
Regulations.Please
see:http://www.uiuc.edu/admin-manual/code/rule-33.html.Infraction
of these rules will result in dismissal from the course.
7. Disabled students should contact the professor at the
beginning of the semester. If you have special needs related with
disabilities please, contact me and we can discuss it privately.
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IV. GRADE SCALE FOR THE COURSE:
100-97%
96.9-94%
93.8-90%
89.9-87%
86.9-84%
83.9-80%
A+
A
AB+
B
B-
79.9-77%
76.9-74%
73.9-70%
69.9-67%
66.9-64%
63.9-60%
59.9-0%%
C+
C
CD+
D
DF
Week #1 August 27
W- Class introduction
Week #2 September 1-3
M- LABOR DAY-NO CLASS
W- Piedra, José, “Literary Whiteness and the Afro-Hispanic
Difference.” (Up Close Packet) + Pagden, Anthony, “Identity
Formation in Spanish America” in Colonial Identity in the
Atlantic World.* (Reserve)
Week #3 September 8-10
M- Bhabha, Hommi. “The Other Question. Stereotype, Discrimination and the
Discourse of Colonialism.” In The Location of Culture. (*Reserve)
W- Kusnesof, Elizabeth A. “Ethnic and Gender Influences on Spanish Creole
Society in Colonial Spanish America.” Colonial Latin American Review 4
1
(1995): 153-76. (*Reserve)
Week #4 September15-17
M- Gutiérez Azopardo, Ildefonso. La población negra en América.
Geografía, Historia, Cultura. (UP CLOSE PACKET)
W- La población negra en América. (Cont.)
Week #5 September 22-24
M- Las Casas, Bartolomé. “Sobre la propuesta de que se llevaran
esclavos negros a América…” + “Prólogo”, Chapters CII & CXXIX in
Historia de las Indias. (UP CLOSE PACKET) + “Probanza de Juan
Garrido” (conquistador negro) (UP CLOSE PACKET)
Presentation:
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W- Documentos para la historia de la esclavitud en Puerto Rico
(1512-1833) (cédulas y testimonios) (UP CLOSE PACKET)
Week #6 September 29-October 1
M- Sandoval, Alonso de. Un tratado sobre la esclavitud. Libro
primero: pp 47-122, Libro II: pp 231-265. (UP CLOSE PACKET)
W- Un tratado sobre la esclavitud. Libro III: pp 375-445, Libro IV:
pp 505-524, 546-571, 602-614. (UP CLOSE PACKET)
Presentation:
Week #7 October 6-8
M- Fray Pedro Simón. Noticias historiales de las conquistas de tierra
firme… (Chapts. “Prólogo” Capts. VI, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII);Rodríguez
Freyle. El carnero.(capt. IX-Episodio de Juana García) & Dr. Lucas
fernéandez de Piedrahíta. Historia general de las conquistas del Nuevo
Reino de Granada. (“Aprobaciones”, “Al lector”, Libro I, capt. I; Libro
XII, capt.IV) in (UP CLOSE PACKET)
W- Cruz, sor Juana Inés. Villancicos (selección) in Obras completas.
Presentation:
Week #8 October 13-15
M- Vida prodigiosa del venerable siervo de Dios San Martín de
Porras por Fary Bernardo Medina. (UP CLOSE PACKET)
W- Vida prodigiosa del venerable siervo de Dios San Martín de
Porras por Fary Bernardo Medina. (UP CLOSE PACKET)
Presentation:
Week #9 October 20-22
M- “Relación de la causa de Juana María. Esclava, mulata y
hechicera.” (Historia Inquisitorial) (UP CLOSE PACKET)
W- “Relación de la causa de Juana María… (UP CLOSE PACKET)
Presentation:
Week #10 October 27-29
M- Selección de noticias sobre el negro en el Mercurio peruano
(1791-1795) & Esteban de Terralla y Landa. Lima por dentro y por
fuera. In (UP CLOSE PACKET)
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W- Terralla y Landa. Lima por dentro y por fuera. In (UP CLOSE
PACKET)
Presentation:
Week #11 November 3-5
M- Fray Innigo Abbad y Lasierra. Historia geográfica, civil y
natural de la Isla de San Juan de Puerto Rico. “Introducción”,
Capts. I, IX, XIV, XX, XXVI, XXVII, XXX, XXXI & XXXIV. (UP CLOSE
PACKET)
W- EXAM I
Week #12 November 10-12
M- “Practices of looking. Images, Power and Politics” (pp 10-43)
+ “Viewers: Making Meaning” (pp 45-71) in Practices of Looking.
(* Reserve)
W- Images: Web site: Early Images, Cuadro de Castas, and Trujillo
del Perú. + Guaman Poma. Nueva Coronica y Buen gobierno. “Negros”
pp- 573-586. (UP CLOSE PACKET)
Presentation:
Week #13 November 17-19
M- Autobiografía de Juan Francisco Manzano. (UP CLOSE PACKET)
W- Autobiografía de Juan Francisco Manzano. (UP CLOSE PACKET)
Presentation:
Week #14 November24-26
M- THANKSGIVING RECESS-NO CLASS
Week #15 December 1-3
M- Rodríguez Juliá, Edgardo. La noche oscura del niño Avilés.
W- La noche oscura del niño Avilés.
Presentation:
Week #16 December 8-10
M- La noche oscura del niño Avilés.
W- Final remarks
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