Cities in the Hispanic World (I)   “Writings on Buenos Aires”

Prerequisites:   Spanish 111 or equivalent   

Wintersession 2008: Trip to Argentina      January 1-15, 2008

This Winter Session course examines the literary representations of city life in Twentieth Century Buenos Aires.  Using an interdisciplinary approach, topics will include the city as a cultural capital, a physical and utopian construction, urban and non-urban landscapes, immigration, and the ways in which Buenos Aires occupies and challenges the literary imagination.  The trip to Buenos Aires will allow us to read the city as perceived by major authors as Jorge Luis Borges, Juan Carlos Onetti, Julio Cortázar, Beatriz Sarlo, Silvina Ocampo, Tomás Eloy Martínez, in different periods (From the 20?s and 30?s to the present). During our trip (in southern hemisphere summer) we will visit the most important landmarks related to the Argentine literary tradition. We will do two trips outside Buenos Aires: One to visit the historical city ?Colonia del Sacramento?, a Portuguese colonial town and a Unesco world heritage town in Uruguay, and ?San Antonio de Areco?, a small town where we will be able to learn about the Gaucho tradition.  We will go to a Tango show and watch a ?fútbol? game.

During the semester (Spring 2008) we will meet one hour per week to discuss the two novels (Fervor de Buenos Aires by Jorge Luis Borges and El cantante the tango by Tomás Eloy Martínez)), and the rest of short stories and poems that were not discussed during the trip.  The students will submit a 15 to 20 pages research paper at the end of the semester.  There will be presentations were students will talk about the relationship between texts and experience in Buenos Aires.

The total cost of the travel will be approximately $2,500; this includes transportation, housing and planned activities.

For more information contact:

Dr. Margarita Sanchez, Department of Modern Languages,  msanchez@wagner.edu, (718) 420-4133 

Accompanying Staff: Dr. Laurence Nolan, Department of Psychology, lnolan@wagner.edu, (718) 390-3358