Graphic Novels in Spanish: Words, Images, and Cultures in Motion
Course Description
Summary
Contemporary cultures have been radically transformed by the “visual turn” and the constant circulation of images. This course explores how Spanish-speaking communities across Latin America and Spain use graphic novels to address cultural fabrics. Organized around five engaging themes -- National Identities, Social Conflicts, Testimony, History and Memory, and Canon Adaptations -- this content-driven course emphasizes active participation and critical thinking through dynamic discussions and innovative academic outcomes. Students will develop proficiency in all four major language skills -- listening, speaking, reading, and writing -- by analyzing graphic novels within diverse cultural and historical contexts. They will learn to communicate information and ideas effectively while building meaningful cultural connections. Grammar and linguistic structures are integrated throughout the course as students engage with narratives that explore past, present, and future events in both fictional and real-world settings. By the end of the course, students will be able to participate in discussions about authors such as Ricardo Piglia, Edgar Clément, Power Paola, Diana Ojeda, and Margarita Serje, among many others. Whether you're interested in literature, art, politics, or pop culture, this course offers a fresh, interdisciplinary approach to the contemporary graphic novel genre within Spanish-speaking cultures—one frame at a time. High-intermediate level. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisites
Four terms of Spanish at Bennington or permission of the instructor.