Overview:

On a day of your choosing, you and a partner will give a 10 minute presentation on the historical or cultural context for the day’s reading. The presentation should provide background information about the reading, giving the class a better sense of the author’s background, the time period, and cultural influences. A list of topics is provided below, organized by class unit, and you are free to choose whatever interests you from the relevant unit. If you wish to present on something that is not on the list, but is still relevant, check with me first. Finally, it is up to you to coordinate with your partner and divide tasks (research, speaking) for the presentation.

Instructions:

The only requirement is that you make some kind of connection between the presentation topic and the day’s reading. You might directly link the historical/cultural context to the reading, or pose a discussion question for the class to consider. For example, if you are presenting about the Texas Revolution on the day that we are reading Gloria Anzaldúa, you need to explain how this historical event might have influenced the context that Anzaldúa is writing in. In other words, your presentation should help to situate or inform in some way an aspect about that day’s reading. This can be achieved by pointing out and close reading a passage, or posing a question for class discussion.

On the day of your presentation, you will turn in a presentation outline which should be brief bullet points and a list of sources. You want somewhere between 3-5 bullet points (things you will talk about) and consult at least 2 sources (where you did your research). Since you will be turning these materials in before you give your presentation, you need to make two copies, one for your own reference during the presentation.

Tips: 

• Use the Wikipedia link as a starting point. Read or skim the entire page. Check the “References” section at the bottom of the Wikipedia page—this is a great place to consult and accumulate your sources. 
• Don’t go into too much detail, just give a simple overview of your topic. Remember—you are introducing the class to a historical or cultural topic that they are likely unfamiliar with; too much information will be overwhelming. Your job is to give us an idea of some of the culture and history that surrounds the text, not to write up a full report or analysis. Set the scene and give us some grounding for our class discussion. 
• About 4-5 pages typed, double-spaced is about 10 minutes of talking. (It takes about 2 minutes or more to read one page out loud)

Presentation Topics

Jorge Luis Borges & Clarice Lispector

• The Latin American Boom

Anzaldúa

• Aztec Civilization
• Chicano Identity
• Chicano Civil Rights Movement
• Mexican American War
• Spanish American War
• Texas Revolution
• Third Wave Feminism

Muñoz

• Intersectionality
• Performance Studies
• Queer Theory

Díaz

• History of the Dominican Republic
• Dominican Americans
• Rafael Trujillo / Trujillo Era
• Machismo
• Code-Switching
• Spanglish

Machado:

• Cuban Revolution
• Creative Nonfiction
• Queer Domestic Violence
• Folk or Oral Literatures
• Queer Theory

Presentation Schedule:

February 3, Monday – Jorge Luis Borges & Clarice Lispector

• Cheyenne Pryor

February 10, Monday – Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands, chapters 1-2 

• Melissa Guachun & Katherine Guaman

February 13, Thursday – Anzaldúa, Borderlands, chapters 3-4

• Jordi Dominguez-Segundo & Rheyana Ridley

February 20, Thursday – Anzaldúa, Borderlands, chapters 5-6

• Tyeisha Archer & Desiree Oliveras

February 24, Monday – Anzaldúa, Borderlands, chapter 7

• Sandra Lewocki & Jasmine Calle

February 27, Thursday – Muñoz. “Introduction: Performing Disidentifications” 

• Jose Florencio & Dina Darwish

March 2, Monday – Muñoz. “Introduction: Performing Disidentifications”

• Daniela Gallardo, Jacqueline Valiente, Pamela Castillo

March 5, Thursday –  Junot Díaz, This is How You Lose Her

• Mayleen Zhagnay & Elizabeth Araujo

March 9, Monday – Díaz, This is How You Lose Her

• Angelica Opedal & Yasmin Tavares

March 12, Thursday – Díaz, This is How You Lose Her 

• Rebekah Nichols & Kailani Genaro

March 16, Monday – Díaz, This is How You Lose Her

• Samiha Mahmud & Christina Latimer

March 23, Monday – Díaz, This is How You Lose Her 

• Maria Elena Cruz & Hector Parra

March 30, Monday – Carmen Maria Machado, In the Dream House

• Elizabeth Estevez & Jade Valerio

April 2, Thursday – Machado, In the Dream House

• Ana Butler & Sandra Cedillo

April 6, Monday – Machado, In the Dream House

• Daniel Garcia & Xavier De La Rosa