Spanish 345 - Puerto Rico Diaspora

[RC] Puerto Rico’s colonial relationship to the United States has generated waves of migration to the point that today, more Puerto Ricans live in the United States than on the island.  In this course, we will examine the literary and cultural manifestations of this diaspora.  The course will also integrate a community-based learning component in partnership with the Holyoke Public Library, which is working to preserve and make available artifacts and stories about Puerto Ricans in Holyoke.  As part of this community component, students will conduct oral history interviews in Holyoke, and then travel to Puerto Rico during Spring Break in order to visit relatives of the interviewees, share this knowledge, interview them in turn, and bring the gathered oral histories and artifacts back to Holyoke for sharing and archiving.  During the trip to Puerto Rico we will also conduct cultural visits directly related to the course material. Conducted in Spanish.

Requisites: SPAN 211 and consent of instructor.  Limited to 12 students, with travel costs covered for all accepted students.  Spring semester. Professor Schroeder Rodríguez.