Studying at York
Hispanic Culture Through Film - LAN00041H
Module summary
This module has an emphasis on the analysis and discussion of current issues in the Spanish-speaking world. Students will study Spanish and Latin American films in order to appraise the extent to which social order, gender, and cultural attitudes shape contemporary realities in Spanish-speaking societies. Main themes of study include 1) gender-based violence and 2) the current state of democracies and their impact on the effectiveness of criminal justice systems in Latin America.
The module will be delivered in Spanish.
Related modules
Pre-requisite modules
Co-requisite modules
- None
Prohibited combinations
- None
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2024-25 |
Module aims
Through the analysis of selected films, students will gain a deeper understanding of critical issues and cultural values that shape today’s social, cultural and governmental challenges of Spanish-speaking societies.
Students will also improve and refine their language skills through actively participating in class discussions, presentations, and formal essay writing in the target language. In addition, this module will equip students with professional skills such as project-based work and video editing skills to help them to communicate compelling stories to effectively influence their audience.
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module students should:
- be familiar with a number of Spanish-speaking films and have an in-depth understanding of fundamental issues of social, cultural and political nature shaping current challenges of twentieth and twentieth-first century Spain and Latin America;
- be able to analyse, research, and evaluate film content through critical discussion of issues such as social order, gender, and discrimination affecting Spanish-speaking societies;
- develop a proficient level language fluency and advanced precision in syntax and vocabulary in the target language;
- gain professional skills such as project-based work, leadership as well as video editing skills to enhance their effective communication and influencing oral skills.
Module content
Teaching will focus on the following major themes affecting the societies of the Spanish-speaking world:
-
Violence against women
-
Poverty and inequality
-
Government systems and corruption
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 60 |
| Oral presentation/seminar/exam | 40 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 60 |
| Oral presentation/seminar/exam | 40 |
Module feedback
Students’ performance will be monitored through formative work throughout the semester and assessed via end of semester exams.
Feedback and formative assessment
-
Formative tasks done individually or in groups throughout the module
-
Feedback will include written comments for written formative work
-
Oral feedback will be given during class discussions.
Feedback and summative assessment
Students will be given marks and written feedback for their work in line with within the University’s marking and feedback turnaround policy.
Indicative reading
The reading list will be provided by the module convenor and will consist of articles and documentaries focused on on the main themes of study mentioned in the module content detail.
Examples of films that will be studied in the module as a window to discuss key issues in the Spanish-speaking world are:
- ‘Te doy mis ojos’ (2003, Icíar Bollaín) (Spain)
- ‘María llena eres de gracia’ (2004, Joshua Marston) (Colombia)
- ‘La ley de Herodes’ (1999, Luis Estrada) (México)
- ‘Todo el poder’ (2000, Fernando Sariñana) (México)