ATS3867 - Crime fiction and film in Hispanic cultures - 2017

What does transgression teach us about a particular society's beliefs and values? How do crime narratives investigate key social and political issues in Hispanic societies? This unit examines fiction and film from Spain and Latin America, and is concerned with understanding the ways in which crime and detective narratives, some of the most popular forms of fiction and film today, investigate and interrogate issues of national identity, gender, sexuality, ethnicity and historical justice in Hispanic societies. Students will be introduced to the codes and conventions of the crime genre and their adoption and adaptation by writers from Spain and Latin America. There will be an emphasis on works by contemporary writers and directors. Students will have the opportunity to develop a project on a specific national text or context.

Upon successful completion of the unit students will be able to:

1. apply detailed knowledge of the codes and conventions of the crime genre, in particular, as they operate in Hispanic cultures,
2. critically examine the connection between the crime genre as a literary/filmic form and its evolving historical, political and socio-cultural contexts;
3. analyse primary works of crime narratives (short stories, novels, films) in Spanish;
4. engage in informed discussion of the different texts and contexts studied in the unit;
5. produce clear, grammatically and syntactically appropriate, independent essays in Spanish on topics provided or chosen for assessment.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Dr Stewart King

Spanish and Latin American studies

ATS2195 or ATS3195 or Permission