SP4226 True stories: Journalism and literature in Latin America

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

15

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

This module is an optional honours module for all Spanish UG programmes (Single as well as Joint and Triple). It will also be accessible to suitably qualified visiting students (i.e. a sufficient level of fluency in the language).

Module coordinator

Dr L G Chavez Diaz

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr Liliana Chavez Diaz

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

It is well known that in Latin America reality is usually stranger than fiction. From the ancient Spanish conquerors' chronicles to the authors of the Boom and their magical realism, nonfiction has been part of the literary history of the region. Nonetheless, in our post-truth era, fiction and reality are so intertwined that it is hard to believe in a ‘true story’. In this module you will explore the intersections between journalism and literature in a variety of works by authors ethically committed to represent Latin America today. Considering journalism at the core of contemporary literature, you will analyse documentary narratives from Mexico, Argentina, El Salvador, Bolivia, Perú and Colombia, dealing with important social and political problems, such as migration and environmental and gender issues. The module also offers a creative writing component through three workshop-style sessions in which you will experiment with literary and journalistic techniques in Spanish.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS SP2002

Assessment pattern

Coursework - 100%

Re-assessment

Coursework - 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1.5 hrs Seminars x7 1.5 Practical classes x3

Scheduled learning hours

15

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

134

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • To identify similitudes and differences between literary and journalistic genres, such as the novel, the short story, the interview, and the reportage. This will help students develop a critical view on documentary narratives and reality representation in contemporary Latin America and beyond.
  • To discuss ethical issues involved in the representation of Latin American ‘reality’, such as the representation of the Other, the use of the first-person narrator by the journalist, storytelling in the post-truth era, creating verisimilitude, as well as legal and other risks posed by fake news.
  • To analyse and compare the aesthetics of contemporary nonfiction works which have been based on journalistic investigation and/or ‘true stories’ as products of interviews with the authors.
  • To learn about the importance of storytelling and nonfiction writing as cultural and sustainable practices to preserve memories and imagine better futures.
  • To apply and develop literary and journalistic skills to create a story and to discover their narrative voice in Spanish.