CLTR 1000. Cultures, Societies, and Global Studies at Northeastern. (1 Hour)
Introduces first-year students in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities to the liberal arts in general. Seeks to familiarize them with their major, to help them develop the academic skills necessary to succeed (analytical ability and critical thinking), to provide grounding in the culture and values of the university community, to help them develop interpersonal skills, and to familiarize them with all skills needed to become a successful university student.
CLTR 1120. Introduction to Languages, Literature, and Culture. (4 Hours)
Examines the rich interconnections between literature and language and the culture that supports them. Discusses the relationship of language to literature and investigates how language and literatures are embedded in culture. Addresses several very broad and important questions, such as the relationship between language and culture; the relationship between language and thought; the definition of cultural relativism; and how ethical dilemmas are expressed in different cultures. Explores the relationship of esthetic and rhetorical traditions in given languages to the culture from which they sprang. In this context, examines the extremely interesting case of American Sign Language and how a gestural language sheds light on these issues.
Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture
CLTR 1500. Modern Chinese History and Culture. (4 Hours)
Introduces modern Chinese history and culture through literary works, films, and historical texts. Examines political, social, and cultural changes in China since 1800: the decline of empire; the New Culture Movement of the 1920s; the rise of nationalism and rural revolution; the changing roles of women; the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s; and China’s cinematic, literary, and economic engagement with the world since 1978. Taught in English and open to all undergraduates. CLTR 1500 and HIST 1500 are cross-listed.
Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture, NUpath Societies/Institutions
CLTR 1504. Cultural History of Spain. (4 Hours)
Examines chronologically the forces that have forged Spanish culture and have made Spain the pluralistic society and multinational country it is today. Traces the development of the peoples of the Iberian Peninsula from prehistoric times to the present. Based primarily on the history of ideas, the arts, and architecture, incorporates history, sociology, anthropology, geography, economics, and politics. Conducted in English.
Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture, NUpath Societies/Institutions
CLTR 1990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)
Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.
CLTR 2001. World Cultures through Film. (4 Hours)
Introduces the study of world cinema from the past several decades as a form of artistic and cultural expression. Emphasizes the way that different ethnicities and cultures mix and even clash within national boundaries. Readings cover such topics as the postcolonial inheritance, immigration, the boundaries of class, the pressures of modernization, ethnic identities, and historical memory. Examines storytelling in its multicultural aspects and deals with the diverse influences of entertainment cinema and art cinema, as well as measures taken by countries to limit the influx of foreign films in order to protect their own cultural productivity. One overall concern of the course is the place of film in contemporary global culture.
Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture, NUpath Societies/Institutions
CLTR 2973. Special Topics. (4 Hours)
Offers intermediate-level study on a selected topic related to the interaction of a particular language with its literary or other cultural contexts. May be repeated twice for a maximum of 12 semester hours.
CLTR 2990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)
Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.
CLTR 3418. Nationalism. (4 Hours)
Explores contending theories of identity and nationalism—a powerful force in international and domestic politics. Examines topics such as the process of identity creation, the choice of national symbols, how group boundaries are established, the role of identity in conflict and state building, and the debate over nationalism’s constructed or primordial nature. POLS 3418 and CLTR 3418 are cross-listed.
Prerequisite(s): POLS 1155 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D-
Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture, NUpath Societies/Institutions
CLTR 3805. Culture, Politics, and Media in Spain. (4 Hours)
Offers an in-depth critical inquiry into the current debates in the public sphere in Spain focusing on the politics of culture and identity as they both inform and challenge the very foundations of a modern nation-state. Arguably the first political entity in modern times to have been constructed as a state unified under one religion, one people, and one monarch, Spain is today an early example of a growing tendency toward national fragmentation and disintegration. Examines the ways in which current events in Spain may be the presage to an ever more unstable world order. Considers the possibility of a higher state of global governance beyond the nation-state and empire. Taught in English.
Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Interpreting Culture
CLTR 3990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)
Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.
CLTR 4655. Latin American Literature. (4 Hours)
Offers an overview of the major trends in Latin American narrative, poetry, drama, and essays, from Bernal Diaz through Borges and Bolaño. Studies broad cultural and political contexts, especially the Cold War period and the impact of neoliberalism. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite(s): SPNS 2101 with a minimum grade of D- or SPNS 2102 with a minimum grade of D- or SPNS 3101 with a minimum grade of D- or SPNS 3102 with a minimum grade of D-
Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture, NUpath Writing Intensive
CLTR 4944. Cultural Engagement Abroad. (4 Hours)
Designed for a language-based Dialogue of Civilizations. Complements the intensive language course that students take while on a language-based Dialogue. Offers students an opportunity to obtain an in-depth knowledge of the contemporary culture(s) of the country of the Dialogue and how that culture differs from or is similar to contemporary American cultural values and practices. In addition to regular in-class lectures and activities, offers structured opportunities to engage in dialogue with businesspeople, scholars, educators, artists, government officials, journalists, students, senior citizens, and/or local residents about their perspectives on various topics and issues. May be repeated up to three times.
CLTR 4990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)
Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.
CLTR 4992. Directed Study. (1-4 Hours)
Offers students a way of going beyond work given in the regular curriculum; may also enable students to complete major or minor requirements in certain situations. Priority is given to language majors and to juniors and seniors. May be repeated without limit.