MAS 374 -- SPN 350 -- LAS 370S

DEPARTMENT OF SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE

University of Texas at Austin

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Spring 1997

COURSE TITLE: Studies in HIspanic Life and Culture. Topic: Mexican and Mexican-American Ballads: Porpular Expression of Cultural and Social Conflict--Corridos

UNIQUE NUMBER: 41130

MEETING TIME: MWF 11:00-12:00, WEL 3.266

CROSS-LISTED: LAS 370S, MAS 374

CROSS-LISTED UNIQUE NUMBER: 34625, 30415

INSTRUCTOR: Prof. James Nicolopulos

Batts 239 (tel. 471-4936).

DESCRIPTION: Culture clash, social conflict, violent death, disasters and triumphs personal as well as public, heroism and villany from the grand stage of national history down to the most sordid encounter--every value, event or societal current, in fact, that woven together, forms the warp and woof of a people's identity--all are celebrated, commented, lamented or lampooned in the Mexican ballads known in Spanish as corridos. In this course we will examine the development of the corrido genre in the 19^th century and its flourishing in the 20^th with special focus on its pivotal role in the great national convulsion of the Mexican Revolution, and in the often traumatic collision between cultures that continues to occur in the vast and constantly expanding Border zone that both bridges and divides Anglo-American and Hispanic-American civilizations.

The course will be conducted in Spanish, but grammatical evaluation in itself will not form part of the grade. A good reading knowledge of Spanish as well as strong listening comprehension skills are highly recommended, although many of the primary materials will be available in English translation as well as in the original Spanish. In addition to printed texts, historical materials and criticism, we will make extensive use of films, videos, and especially, sound recordings. Students will have the option of working in teams to creat web-pages on specific coridos instead of writing a traditional research paper. Graduate students may substitute a 15-20 page research paper for the final exam.

GRADING SYSTEM:

One short (5-7 pg.) paper 30%

Mid-Term Exam 20%

Final Exam 40%

Class Participation 10%

TEXTS AND OTHER REQUIRED MATERIALS:

Mendoza, Vicente T. El corrido mexicano. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1954.

Paredes, Américo. A Texas-Mexican Cancionero: Folksongs of the Lower Border. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1995.

Corridos y tragedias de la frontera. Intro. Chris Strachwitz. Notes by Philip Sonnichsen and James Nicolopulos. Folklyric CDs or Cass 7019-20. Arhoolie Productions, El Cerrito, CA, 1994.

The Mexican Revolution: The Heroes and Events--1910-1920 and Beyond. Ed. Guillermo Hernández. Folklyric CDs 7041/44. El Cerrito, Calif.: Arhoolie/Folklyric, 1996. Note: These last two collections can be purchased (at a discount) directly from the instructor.

Photocopied Course Reader.

SPRING 1997 SPN 350/LAS 370S/MAS 374 SYLLABUS (PLAN)

SPRING 1997 SPN 350/LAS 370S/MAS 374 (BIBLIOGRAFIA BASICA)

SPRING 1997 SPN 350/LAS 370S/MAS 374 (WEB PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS)

Para información, sonido y textos de corridos famosos:

Corridos de Texas

Corridos de la Revolución

Corridos de desastres