Latin American and Iberian Studies

Latin American and Iberian Studies (LAIS) is a multidisciplinary program incorporating such diverse disciplines as literature, political studies, anthropology, history, economics, art history, and dance.

The Program

It provides an academic setting for the study of two regions inextricably bound together by historical, cultural, linguistic, economic, and political ties. Students who enter the LAIS Program emerge with the linguistic and analytical preparation necessary to understand the literatures and cultures of Latin American and Iberian countries; the history of Latin America in the pre-Columbian, colonial, and national periods; the formation of social and economic structures throughout the Hispanic world; the history and ethnography of Mesoamerica and the Andes; contemporary Latin American and Iberian politics; and the Hispanic experience in the United States. Courses in these and related areas provide a framework in which to explore a wide range of compelling issues, including the "boom" in Latin American literature; the reinterpretation of Iberian colonialism in the Americas; the politics of democratization and redemocratization in Spain, Portugal, and Latin America; economic crisis and reform in postwar Latin America; and the integration of Hispanic communities into American politics and society.

Moderation and Senior Project

LAIS majors moderate both into a primary divisional program and into LAIS, usually through a concurrent Moderation, by fulfilling the primary program's requirements and the following LAIS requirements. Prior to or concurrent with Moderation, students are required to take at least two designated LAIS core courses, which are listed below. After Moderation, students are expected to take two additional elective courses and one 300-level seminar; these courses may be listed primarily in another discipline and cross-listed with LAIS. At least one and preferably two of the five required LAIS courses should be taken outside the student's home division (e.g., majors in the Social Studies or Arts Divisions must take a course in the Division of Languages and Literature, and vice versa). The final requirement is the successful completion of a Senior Project in a primary divisional program and LAIS. This project must have a geographical, linguistic, or conceptual link with Latin America, Spain, or Portugal, and have at least one LAIS faculty member on the program board.