Identities and Ecologies of Latin America and the Caribbean: Past, Present and Future

Why should I take this Trinity Elective?

This Trinity Elective will introduce students to Latin America and the Caribbean as a 'New World', not as a European discovery, but as a source of ideas and practices that can help us to face the planetary crisis. The centuries-long environmental struggle of subaltern communities in the region has led to the official recognition of the legal rights of some ecosystems and to the development of theoretical, creative, and practical responses to environmental degradation. These struggles and concerns are widely portrayed in the cultural and artistic products of the region – written texts, sound, visual and audio-visual materials. This Elective provides the tools to interpret such cultural production and to apply the lessons learned in other contexts. It invites you to engage with environmental humanities perspectives and methodologies relevant not only to Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) participants, but also to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

What will I learn?

You will learn about past and current global environmental challenges using techniques and approaches from the environmental humanities and interdisciplinary environmental studies through Latin American and Caribbean case studies.
You will learn to think critically and explore creative responses in relation to intertwined forms of environmental, gender-based and racist violence.
You will learn about transmedia literacy to communicate effectively across diverse media and draw knowledge from Latin America and the Caribbean to act responsibly in relation to diverse identities, cultures, and the environment, in your own contexts, while enhancing your global engagement.

What will I do?

Participate in a series of interactive lectures or seminars
Actively engage with written, audio, and audio-visual material in relation to the cultural and socioecological context of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as to global environmental challenges.

How will this be delivered?

11 lectures or seminars with discussions
Engagement with the provided online material

How will this be assessed?

A collaborative group project and class presentation (40%). This will consist of one of the two following options: a podcast on a case study or a video presentation on a case study
An individual written assignment (60%)