Culture Papers - Spanish 1020

For this Culture Contact option, you will be asked to participate in three aspects of Spanish culture and write a short reaction paper about each experience.  Choose one activity from each group.

I.  FOOD.  Choose from:

1.  Interview a native speaker of Spanish about a “typical” Spanish/Latino diet.  First, find out what Spanish/Latino culture s/he represents.  Then ask what foods and drinks people from that culture have for various meals, including special meals for holidays.  Also find out what people eat between meals.  Finally, get his/her opinion about the advantages of this diet.

2.  Go to a Spanish/Latino market and survey the foods for sale.  What do the customers buy?  Is the stock mostly fresh or ready-to-eat?  What is advertised either outside or inside the store?  Write down at least 10 words and expressions from your experience  that we have not studied that you were able to figure out on your own.

3.  Get a newspaper flyer in Spanish.  Describe the products.  Include at least 10 words or expressions that we have not studied that you were able to figure out on your own.  Be sure to attach the flyer to your paper.

II.  MEDIA. Choose from:

1.  Watch a 30-minute Spanish-language TV program.  What was it about?  Which words and expressions did you understand?  Discuss the differences and similarities between the content and presentation of the Spanish program and an American program of the same genre, i.e., if you watched a soap opera in Spanish, how was it similar to and different from an American soap opera?

 2.   Watch 10 TV commercials.  What products/services were advertised?  Describe in detail the language, visual effects, and target audience.  Have you seen these products/services advertised in English?  How were the ads similar/different? Was a slogan used in the Spanish ad?  Does it translate directly into English?

 3.  Get a copy of a Spanish-language newspaper (such as La Raza or Hoy, two local papers).  Analyze one of the following sections in terms of headlines, style, content, and visuals: international news, national news, sports, weather, society, politics, editorials, classified ads.  Discuss similarities and differences between the Spanish-language paper and your own hometown paper.  Also note any use of English in the Spanish-language paper.

III.  CULTURE CAPSULE.  You and several classmates will conduct some research on one of the following countries that we will examine throughout the course.  Each team member will submit a two-page review of one aspect of the country and be prepared to talk to the class briefly (in English!) about your findings.

Countries:

• Guatemala (due January 26th)

• Chile (due February 11th)

• Costa Rica (due February 28th)

• Argentina (due March 30th)

• Panama (due April 15th)

• Colombia (due May 2nd)

Topics (each team member chooses a different topic):

• Topographical features (e.g., a national park or a mountain range)

• Governmental structure

• Economy

• Important historical event

• Current events

• Human rights issues

• Education

• Health care

• Festivals and celebrations

• Sports, games, and leisure activities other than soccer

• Figure of national importance

• Food

• Special cultural aspects

 Culture Paper Guidelines

• Your "Culture Capsule" paper is due on the date given above.  The other two papers are due according to this schedule:

• Your "Culture Capsule" should focus on one topic only.  Include references from at least three different web pages so these can be accessed by your classmates, and print out and attach the web pages to your capsule.  Your cultural capsules should not be mere translations of Spanish-language web pages -- doing so will earn you a grade of 0 on this project.  I'd like to see some attempt at synthesis of sources: what can you tell us about the topic in two full pages as it relates to the country?

• The other two culture papers are evaluated on how well they address the questions/issues of cultural comparison.  The questions are meant to orient you rather than limit you.  Feel free to go beyond these questions in your analysis.  I am most interested in your perceptions of similarities and differences between aspects of Spanish culture and your own culture.  Feel free to attach ads, flyers, and other realia to your paper. 

• Each culture capsule/paper must be at least two full pages in length, typed (preferably on computer), written in English and turned in by the due date to receive full credit.   If I ask you for a revised draft, it will be due one week following the original due date. 

• I encourage you to ask me if you have any doubts about these projects!