JWST 12.02 Jewish Literatures in Latin America: Belonging Beyond Borders

This course presents a fresh and historically grounded exploration of the concept of belonging in Latin America, with a focus on the rich and varied body of the continent’s Jewish literatures. Rather than relying on essentialist or strictly national definitions and perspectives, we will delve into the diverse ways Jewish experiences have been creatively represented in literary works across the continent.

Focusing on the 20th and 21st centuries, we will study texts connected to the Jewish communities in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, and Mexico. Our readings will emphasize transcultural and intersectional approaches, with particular attention to the perspectives of women and gender.

The course will introduce both the history of events and the cultural history of Jewish experiences in Latin America, alongside a broader engagement with the continent’s literary history. All texts will be provided in their original languages—Spanish, Portuguese, and Yiddish, which are the primary languages of Jewish communities across the continent. Additionally, English translations will be available for each text to ensure that all students, regardless of language proficiency, can fully engage with the material.

As we examine these literary works, we will place them within the broader context of Latin American history, exploring themes such as migration, the traumatic legacy of the 20th-century military dictatorships, and the ongoing efforts toward transitional justice in post-conflict societies. This approach aims to enhance your understanding of Latin America, a region whose rich Jewish cultural contributions have not always received the attention they deserve in both Jewish Studies and Latin American Studies, as well as in Comparative Literature.

By the end of the seminar, you will have gained not only a deeper appreciation of Jewish literatures in Latin America but also a nuanced understanding of the cultural and historical contexts that have shaped these poetics of belonging.

 

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Department-Specific Course Categories

Jewish Studies