CHST 028 CH -Epicentro America: Introduction to Central American Studies

Institution: Pitzer

Description: This course is an interdisciplinary survey of the social, historical, political, economic, educational, and cultural experiences of Central American diasporas in the United States. We will refer to the “epicentro” or “epicenter” to signal both a spatial and symbolic space that problematizes how Central American identities and subject-positions destabilize dominant understandings of the “Latino” experience in the United States. Focusing primarily on diasporas from the Northern Triangle, we will critically interrogate the relationship between the United States and Central America, examining how geopolitics and US-Central American international relations have shaped the trajectories of Central American immigrant communities and their presence/incorporation in U.S. society. Importantly, students will also gain a critical understanding of Central American identities, particularly as these have been constructed through the intersection of race, gender, sexuality, and legal status and through transnational economic, political and cultural networks.

Prerequisite(s): Please check course schedule for requirements.

For up-to-date information on current course offerings and details, please refer to the Pitzer class schedule on MyCampus2 Portal.