Hispanic Studies
About the Major
At Hamilton, students find an array of courses in the Spanish language and in Latin American, Spanish, and U.S. Latinx literatures and cultures. And through our Academic Year In Spain headquartered in Madrid, they are immersed in Spanish life and language. Hispanic studies is a field of practical value for students interested in careers in international affairs, government, education, the arts, or any profession that requires competence in Spanish.
Students will learn to:
- demonstrate oral proficiency in Spanish.
- demonstrate written proficiency in Spanish.
- utilize their curricular studies of the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures through experiential learning.
- demonstrate disciplinary practice by producing literary/film criticism that argues an original thesis.
A Sampling of Courses
Women in Spanish Literature and Film:''Chicas de pelicula''
With an emphasis in the last two decades, this class will focus on literary and visual constructions of women in Contemporary Spain. Movies, poems and short stories will help us ask questions and explore ideas concerning Spanish women and society such as war and gender violence, immigration, sexualities, citizenship, interpersonal relationships, masculinities in transition, etc. Films and literary texts by Bigas Luna, Isabel Coixet, Icíar Bollaín, Anna Rossetti and Carme Riera, among others.
Explore these select courses:
This course develops communication skills used in business, health, government, law, environmental studies, and social justice. Special emphasis is given to building vocabulary and the improvement of grammatical structures through practical application. Oral and written assignments are designed to expand knowledge of Hispanic social practices while increasing intercultural competence.
Meet Our Faculty
Latin American literature, Mexican literature, and culture and gender studies
Marissa Ambio
Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies, Director of Latin American and Latine Studies
19th-21st century Latino literature and culture
Latina American literature and cinema; labor studies; neoliberalism; gender and sexuality studies
20th and 21st century Indigenous literature and culture; Andean and Mesoamerican cultures; Anthropocene, environmentalism, and ecosocialism; Indigenous intellectual production; anticolonial discourses in the Americas
Latin American literature and culture; early 20th-century Argentinean and Cuban theatre and essay
Andean indigenous cultures and literature, Latin American literature, Environmental Humanities, and Spanish as a second language
Hispanic cinema, contemporary Hispanic Caribbean literature and culture, and Cuban studies
feminist and gender studies; cultural criticism and Spanish poetry; narrative; urban studies; literature
Early modern Hispanic literatures and cultures; early modern art and visual culture; death and memory studies; gender studies; the supernatural; history of the book
Careers After Hamilton
Hamilton graduates who concentrated in Hispanic studies are pursuing careers in a variety of fields, including:
- Bilingual Literacy Tutor, AmeriCorps
- Executive Director, City of Boston
- Veterinary Student, Cornell University
- Spanish Teacher, New York City Department of Education
- Outreach Manager, Explorer Programs, National Geographic Society
- Foreign Language Chair, Trinity-Pawling School
- Executive Vice President/Chief Risk Officer, E*TRADE Financial
Explore Hamilton Stories
Cassandra Adler ’24: On the Path to ‘Know Thyself’
Cass Adler ’24, a double major in Hispanic studies and creative writing, shares her Hamilton journey.
Martinez-Arias Publishes on Amazonian Indigenous Cultures
Assistant Professor of Hispanic Studies Jack Martinez-Arias recently published an article titled "Medioambiente y transculturación en El abrazo de la serpiente (2015)" ["Environmentalism and Transculturation in Embrace of the Serpent (2015)"] in the peer-reviewed journal Brújula: revista interdisciplinaria de estudios latinoamericanos.
Authority in the Borderlands is Students’ Levitt Research Topic
Who do people turn to for help? Many turn to family, close friends, or sometimes, they may even seek out state authorities. But what happens when these options are no longer available—when you have left behind your families and friends, and state authorities will sooner detain you than offer you help? This is the reality for thousands of migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the driving question to Nick Cackett’s ’24 and Quinn Jones’ 23 summer research projects.
Contact
Department Name
Hispanic Studies Department
Contact Name
Jessica Burke, Chair
Clinton, NY 13323
