Philosophy
Our classes are a representation of our social reality that is increasingly defined by diversity. It is important to value social, religious, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, sexual, and gender diversity, which introduce us to different ways of interpreting the world. Additionally, we must recognize learning differences so that we can develop pedagogical tools to educate equitably. We believe that the university must prepare the younger generations to view one another as equals with unique differences.
We agree that the best way to accomplish this goal is by representing the differences our students bring to class in the curriculum. We must develop a cross-cultural education that fights against exclusion and adapts course content to the diversity of students, guaranteeing equal opportunities and developing the skills necessary to become part of an increasingly complex world (José Díaz Aguado, Teresa Andrés, 1994). The success of this project depends on the collaboration between instructors and students, who are the protagonists of their own learning.
In the context of George Floyd’s murder and the rising visibility of police brutality in the U.S., we believe it is more important than ever to commit ourselves to an anti-racist education. We intend to represent racial diversity in Hispanic countries in our curricula, so that students can develop intercultural connections that allow them to think critically about racism from a global perspective.
Through these materials developed for the third and fourth semesters of Spanish, we hope to give visibility and promote the investigation of cultures of African heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean and the influence of African immigration on Spanish culture. We also include indigenous populations, because they are fundamental to our discussion of racism in Latin America. Both "Indian" and "Black" are colonial categories that have designated racialized, subordinate, and inferior groups, both of whom have faced discrimination in similar ways (De la Fuente, 2020). We believe that we can only combat racism if we approach it in an intersectional way.
From Spanish lecturers committed to emancipatory knowledge,
María Datel (LS212) and Elena Carrión Guerrero (LS211)
Works Cited:
We agree that the best way to accomplish this goal is by representing the differences our students bring to class in the curriculum. We must develop a cross-cultural education that fights against exclusion and adapts course content to the diversity of students, guaranteeing equal opportunities and developing the skills necessary to become part of an increasingly complex world (José Díaz Aguado, Teresa Andrés, 1994). The success of this project depends on the collaboration between instructors and students, who are the protagonists of their own learning.
In the context of George Floyd’s murder and the rising visibility of police brutality in the U.S., we believe it is more important than ever to commit ourselves to an anti-racist education. We intend to represent racial diversity in Hispanic countries in our curricula, so that students can develop intercultural connections that allow them to think critically about racism from a global perspective.
Through these materials developed for the third and fourth semesters of Spanish, we hope to give visibility and promote the investigation of cultures of African heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean and the influence of African immigration on Spanish culture. We also include indigenous populations, because they are fundamental to our discussion of racism in Latin America. Both "Indian" and "Black" are colonial categories that have designated racialized, subordinate, and inferior groups, both of whom have faced discrimination in similar ways (De la Fuente, 2020). We believe that we can only combat racism if we approach it in an intersectional way.
From Spanish lecturers committed to emancipatory knowledge,
María Datel (LS212) and Elena Carrión Guerrero (LS211)
Works Cited:
- Diaz-Aguado, Maria Jose and Andres, Teresa, “Educación intercultural y aprendizaje cooperativo en contextos heterogéneos”, Convocatoria de Ayudas a la Investigación Educativa, 1994
- Alejandro de la Fuente, “Muerte de George Floyd | "La idea de que América Latina es menos racista que EE.UU. es falsa", interview by Arturo Walace, BBC, 2020
*This material compilation has been created only for educational purposes.