Cultures of Latin America

Students will obtain an understanding and develop the analytical skills necessary to better understand Latin American’s rich cultural diversity and complexity. This introductory survey course uses a multi-disciplinary approach to Latin America- its social, economic, political, religious, and cultural structures and practices.

This is a survey course in Latin American Studies and the cognate disciplines which contribute to the body of research. Students in this class will be exposed to history, sociology, communication, anthropology, cultural & media studies. The course takes a holistic approach to the scholarship in contemporary Latin American Studies.

Student materials are available at the OU Bookstore Website at https://ou.textbookx.com/institutional/index.php. The website has book selling, renting, buying, returning, and order tracking capabilities. If you need help with an order, or if you have any questions contact the toll-free phone at 1-(855)-790-6637, agents are available from 9a – 5p (EST) Monday – Friday. Text prices are available online

1. Explore the histories of Latin America,

2. Understand the various identities (language, race, gender, religion, culture, geography) of the peoples in the region,

3. Critically dissect our own interactions in Latin America,

4. Understand the various political & economic systems within the area,

5. Analyze Latin American influences in other regions and the influences of the rest of the world in Latin America,

6. Conduct research in the field.

Students will obtain an understanding and develop the analytical skills necessary to better understand Latin American’s rich cultural diversity and complexity. This introductory survey course uses a multi-disciplinary approach to Latin America- its social, economic, political, religious, and cultural structures and practices.

This is a survey course in Latin American Studies and the cognate disciplines which contribute to the body of research. Students in this class will be exposed to history, sociology, communication, anthropology, cultural & media studies. The course takes a holistic approach to the scholarship in contemporary Latin American Studies.

Response Paper

You should write a three-page response to one of our class readings. Each paper should be double-spaced and follow APA style. You can choose to write about one of the book chapters or articles.

Due: 5/3

Popular Culture Presentation

You will be expected to create a 4-6-minute presentation regarding a popular culture phenomenon. You should detail and analyze a cultural artifact which focuses on Latin America. This can be a film, song, artwork, or other cultural product. Each analysis should be well-written; void of errors and most importantly should provide a critical response to one or more of the cultural artifacts you analyze.

Due: 5/5

Participation

Each student will receive points for attending (entire course) class and making contributions to the discussions. These contributions should be grounded in readings and experience. It is also expected that students will treat others with respect during these discussions.

Research Milestone

Each student will prepare a 5-6-minute presentation on the progress of her/his final project. The presentation should be in PowerPoint format. Each student should illustrate the working structure of the paper. The student should have a minimum of 4 scholarly sources. This assignment is intended to be a “work in progress” for the final and allow the student to receive feedback from the instructor.

Due: 5/6

Final Research Paper

Each student will choose a conflict or social movement in Latin America. She/he will analyze this “event” as it relates to contemporary Latin American culture and/or global perception. This paper will be between 10-12 pages in length.

Due: 5/22

*One month before the course start date the instructor will provide more detailed assignment descriptions.

450 – 500         = A

400 – 449         = B

350 – 399         = C

300 – 349         = D

0 – 299             = F

Grading Criteria

Attendance/Grade Policy

Attendance and participation in interaction, individual assignments, group exercises, simulations, role playing, etc. are valuable aspects of any course because much of the learning comes from discussions in class with other students. It is expected that you attend all classes and be on time except for excused emergencies.

Excused absences are given for professor mandated activities or legally required activities such as emergencies or military assignments. It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide without penalty for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required class work that may fall on religious holidays. Unavoidable personal emergencies, including (but not limited to) serious illness; delays in getting to class because of accidents, etc.; deaths and funerals, and hazardous road conditions will be excused.

If you are obtaining financial assistance (TA, STAP, FA, VA, Scholarship, etc.) to pay all or part of your tuition cost, you must follow your funding agency/institution’s policy regarding “I” (Incomplete) grades unless the timeline is longer than what the University policy allows then you must adhere to the University policy. Students who receive Financial Aid must resolve/complete any “I” (Incomplete) grades by the end of the term or he/she may be placed on “financial aid probation.” If the “I” grade is not resolved/completed by the end of the following term, the student’s Financial Aid may be suspended make the student ineligible for further Financial Aid.

Students are responsible for meeting the guidelines of Tuition Assistance and Veterans Assistance. See the education counselor at your local education center for a complete description of your TA or VA requirements.

OU faculty will submit grades online through ONE not later than 30 days after the course end date. Course end dates are approximately one calendar month after the final seminar date on this syllabus and are provided on the official scheduling website for reference.

Academic Integrity and Student Conduct 

Academic integrity means honesty and responsibility in scholarship. Academic assignments exist to help students learn; grades exist to show how fully this goal is attained. Therefore all work and all grades should result from the student's own understanding and effort.

Academic misconduct is any act which improperly affects the evaluation of a student’s academic performance or achievement. Misconduct occurs when the student either knows or reasonably should know that the act constitutes misconduct. Academic misconduct includes: cheating and using unauthorized materials on examinations and other assignments; improper collaboration, submitting the same assignment for different classes (self-plagiarism); fabrication, forgery, alteration of documents, lying, etc…in order to obtain an academic advantage; assisting others in academic misconduct; attempting to commit academic misconduct; destruction of property, hacking, etc…; intimidation and interference with integrity process; and plagiarism. All students should review the Student’s Guide to Academic Integrity at http://integrity.ou.edu/students_guide.html 

Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. All students should review policies regarding student conduct at http://studentconduct.ou.edu/ 

Accommodation Statement

The University of Oklahoma is committed to making its activities as accessible as possible. For accommodations on the basis of disability, please contact your local OU Site Director.

Adjustment for Pregnancy/Childbirth-Related Issues

Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact the professor as soon as possible to discuss. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability. Please see http://www.ou.edu/content/eoo/faqs/pregnancy-faqs.html. 

Title IX Resources

For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24/7, counseling services, mutual no-contact orders, scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office at smo@ou.edu or (405) 325-2215 (8-5), or the Sexual Assault Response Team at (405) 615 -0013 (24/7) to report an incident. To learn more about Title IX, please visit the Institutional Equity Office’s website at http://www.ou.edu/content/eoo.html 

Course Policies

Extended Campus (also and formerly known as Advanced Programs) policy is to order books in paperback if available. Courses, dates, and professors are subject to change. Please check with your OU Site Director. Students should retain a copy of any assignments that are e/mailed to the professor for the course. Neither duplicating services nor office supplies are provided.

Any and all course materials, syllabus, lessons, lectures, etc. are the property of professor teaching the course and the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma and are protected under applicable copyright.

For more information about OU Extended Campus, visit our website at: http://www.goou.ou.edu/

Statement on Respect

The classroom should provide a safe learning environment where students can express their views without fear of reprisal. That freedom of expression must be balanced by demonstrated respect for other’s viewpoints and appropriate and reasonable sensitivity, especially within the context of scholarly disagreement.  Disrespectful or uncivil dialogue (including, but not limited to, personal attacks, insults, or harassment) will not be tolerated.

Recording Devices/Phones/Computers

It is important for students to be fully present during class to fully benefit from lectures, discussions, and experiential assignments. Class sessions may not be tape-recorded. All telephones and pagers should be turned off or placed on silent mode. Computers may not be used during class. Students who require an exception to this policy should discuss exceptional circumstances with the professor.

Dr. Anthony Spencer

Education

Ph.D., Communication

Specialization: Intercultural/International Communication

Secondary Area: Anthropology

University of Oklahoma

M.J., Journalism

Specialization: Media Studies

Secondary Areas: Rhetoric/Performance

University of North Texas

B.J., Journalism

Specialization: Broadcast News

University of Texas

Current Positions

Assistant Professor Grand Valley State University

School of Communications

Owner

Explore Study Abroad

Academic Programs in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama & Cuba

Frequently Taught Extended Campus (Advanced Programs) Courses

IAS 5363 Cultures of Latin America

IAS 5373 Media & Conflict in Latin America

IAS 5443 Qualitative Research Methods

IAS 5413 Global Migration & Media

Major Areas of Teaching and Research Interest

Migration, Media & Conflict, Pandemic Communication, Latin American Studies

Representative Publications and Presentations

Croucher, S.M., Nguyen, T., Ashwell, D., Spencer, A. T., Permyakova, T., Gomez, O. J. (2021).

COVID-19 Prejudice toward Afro-Brazilians. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research. 1-17.

Croucher, S.M., Nguyen, T., Dutta, M. J., Ashwell, D., Spencer, A. T., Permyakova, T., Gomez, O. J. (2021). A comparative analysis of Covid-19-related prejudice: The United States, Spain, Italy, and New Zealand. Communication Research Reports, 38(2), 78–89.

Spencer, A. T. (2019). Nicaraguan immigration to Costa Rica: Understanding power and race through language. In S.M. Croucher, J. Caetano, & E. A. Campbell. (Eds.), Companion to Migration, Communication, and Politics (pp. 266-281). Oxfordshire, UK: Taylor & Francis.

Spencer, A. T. (2013). High-End Immigrants Create an Imagined Community in Costa Rica: Examining the Evolving Discourse in Ethnic-Minority Media. Human Communication, 16(1), 13-30.

Spencer, A. T., Croucher, S. M., & Hoelscher, C. (2012). Uses and Gratifications Meets the Internet: A cross-cultural comparison of U.S. & Nicaraguan New Media Usage. Human Communication, 15(4), 229 - 240.

Spencer, A. T. (2011). Americans create hybrid spaces in Costa Rica: A framework for exploring cultural and linguistic integration, Language and Intercultural Communication, 11(1), 59-74.

Spencer, A. T. (2011). Through the linguistic looking glass: An examination of a newspaper as a cultural negotiator, Speaker & Gavel, 48(1), 31-48.  

Spencer, A. T. & Croucher, S. M. (2008).  Basque nationalism and spiral of silence: An analysis of public perceptions of ETA in Spain and France, International Communication Gazette, 70(2), 135-153.  

Spencer, A. T. (2007).  Hasta la Victoria sempre: The ongoing rhetorical revolution in Cuba, Texas Speech Communication Journal, 31(1), 16-23.  

Representative Honors and Awards Received

• Texas A&M University System Teaching Excellence Award
• Top paper Panel at the American Forensics Association Division National Communication Association
• University of Oklahoma Department of Communication Qualitative Dissertation Award
• Top paper Panel at the American Forensics Association Division National Communication Association

Major Professional Affiliations

• National Communication Association
• World Communication Association
• International Communication Association