Latin-American Culture and Current Affairs

This course offers an immersion into the region of Catalonia, exploring both its cultural aspects and contemporary realities. Throughout the course, we will examine various topics ranging from history and geography to politics, society, and the characteristic artistic expressions of this autonomous community in Spain. The course begins with an analysis of Catalonia's history, from its ancestral roots to the most recent events that have shaped its identity. We will study the political and economic evolution of the region, as well as its role in the national and international context. Additionally, we will look at some of the main aspects of Catalan culture, such as its language, cuisine, and popular traditions. We will explore some of the festivals and celebrations that are part of the cultural heritage of the region. We will also address the contemporary realities of Catalonia, such as debates over national identity, the independence movement, social and economic issues, and multicultural coexistence in today’s Catalan society. In summary, this course offers an interesting and enriching view of Catalonia, inviting participants to explore and understand the diversity and richness of this unique region in Spain and Europe.

The course aims to provide a general overview of the indigenous cultures that currently inhabit Mexico. The objective is for students to become familiar with Mexico's ethnic diversity and its most representative characteristics. The course will take a historical, social, and cultural approach. The course includes an introduction to the general historical background, an in-depth look at the ethnic families in Mexico (their geographic distribution, language, and number of speakers), their characteristics (festivals, music, religion, cuisine, and social and political organization), and their indigenous identity (attitudes toward their own ethnic groups). During the sessions, active participation from students is expected, allowing them to assimilate and gain an intercultural perspective on each of the topics.

This course has been offered in recent sessions as a unique, practical, and engaging way to address what is happening in contemporary Latin America. During the sessions, topics such as politics, current events, international relations, religion, sports, etc., are discussed. Each week, we will delve into different topics of special relevance for understanding the Latin American reality. In the final class, students will have the opportunity to write a chronicle or opinion column, which will receive feedback from the instructor.