This document discusses introducing Latin American culture in a university course using a cultural studies approach. It proposes critically examining concepts like the literary canon, absolute truth, and cultural value systems. The course would focus on popular culture as a way to understand society and revise notions of culture. It emphasizes being sensitive to power relations and how they shape knowledge production. The goal is to foster international understanding rather than perpetuating exoticism or a Western-centric view of culture. Understanding historical relations between cultures is important for cultural literacy and a more informed critical perspective.

1. After Civilization: The
Theory and Practice of
Introducing Latin American
Culture
Sophia McClennen

2. What’s Cultural Studies?
 An interdisciplinary method
That has a critical perspective on:
-the notion of the literary canon
-the concept of absolute truth
-systems of cultural value.
It focuses on culture, especially popular
culture, as a way to understand society.

3. How does this apply to a course
on Latin American Culture?
 Introduction to Latin American Culture
 Revise our own notion of culture
 Be critical regarding dominant notions of culture
and belief in Latin America at different times
 Be sensitive to power relations and how they
affect the production of knowledge

4. “Destabilizing the concept of a true source of
history allows classroom discussion of the
perplexities involved in defining a culture.” (9)
This course proposes “areas of inquiry”.
We will engage critically with problems of representation,
particularly in the media and in popular culture

5. “[…] in a course on foreign
civilization taught at a United
States university, a critical
awareness of questions of
cultural hegemony seems
essential.” (7)

6. Sophia McClennen suggests that
we should
“foster international conciousness
instead of perpetuating an exotic
notion of difference and a
Western-oriented notion of value
and culture.” (7)

7. Does this mean ‘facts’ don’t
matter?
“… understanding details and facts is important
because the information provides us with a more
informed critical stance.” (11)
Cultural literacy: to understand and
appreciate the conditions of production
and reception of culture (texts, films, music)
in their contexts.

8. We need to understand the
historical relations between
cultures
-between Spain and the populations of Latin
America
-between the indigenous culture and the Spanish
culture
-between Spanish speaking and English speaking
peoples in the US
-between the US and Latin America

9. “The study of civilization is
also the study of the acts of
barbarity carried out in the
name of civilization […]” (13)