SPA 422 - Puerto Rico: Arts & Resistance

The smallest and most western of the Greater Antilles, Puerto Rico and its 3.2 million citizens are far removed from metropolitan powers. A liminal place for centuries, Puerto Rico has been caught in a tug-of-war between those wishing for it to be the 51^st state of the U.S., those advocating for its complete independence, and those wishing to maintain its current status as a “estado libre asociado” (“commonwealth”). Disparaged in the 2024 U.S. elections and grossly neglected in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Puerto Rican activists and artists are demanding recognition, justice, and respect.

Since the arrival of the Spaniards in 1508, Borikén has endured the abuses of the eradication of its indigenous population, slavery, exploitation, extraction, general colonial neglect, alongside frequent natural disasters, all of which continue having repercussions today. Following the Spanish-American War in 1898, the United States installed colonial governments in the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico, territories that were essentially passed from the dominance of one distant Imperial power to another. Puerto Rico and Guam have maintained their status as oft-neglected territories of the U.S. Though this course centers on contemporary Puerto Rico under U.S. rule, it also engages with the larger frame of Caribbean insurgencies, briefly examining influential events in neighboring islands (e.g. the Haitian Revolution, the Cuban Independence movements and Revolution).

In recent years, the “Isla Encantada” (Enchanted Island) has been plagued by frequent power outages, food and water shortages, natural disasters, political corruption, energy crises, and an invasion of tourism. Tracing Puerto Rican history, with an emphasis on the 20^th and 21^st centuries, this class examines how writers, other artists, and community leaders have defined puertorriqueñidad (Puerto Rican identity) to express dissidence and resistance while fiercely defend their people and homeland.

The course primarily engages with literature, visual culture, music, film, videos, and journalistic sources, illustrating how Puerto Ricans have developed creative means of survival and resistance against sometimes impossible odds.  To contextualize our analysis of creative works, we also read selections from histories of Puerto Rico, alongside current journalistic sources. The overarching goal is to explore its cultural production to gain an understanding of Puerto Rico’s complex trajectory as a people, as a territory, colony, nationality, homeland, both on the island and in the diaspora.

*The class also includes travel to Puerto Rico during Spring Break; though not required, it is strongly encouraged. If students do not participate in trip, they will need to arrange a separate research project with professor.

Satisfies Latin American Studies major and minor requirements.
Satisfies Cultural Diversity requirement.

Prerequisites & Notes
Unless given special permission, this class is limited to Juniors and Seniors, and student must have already taken any two 300-level culture or literature classes in Hispanic Studies.

Enrollment priority is given first to seniors and majors.