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Butler Community College 
Marsha Mawhirter
Humanities/Fine Arts Division 
Spring 1992
 
Introduction to Culture and Language of Mexico
Course Outline

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
HU107. Introduction to Culture and Language of Mexico. 3 credit hours. Introduction to Culture and Language of Mexico is an examination of the cultural heritage and language of Mexico. This course will introduce the student to the history, social and political structures, philosophies and language of the Mexican people.

TEXTBOOK:
Riding, Alan. Distant Neighbors: A Portrait of the Mexicans. Vintage Books, October 1989.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
At the completion of this course, the student should be able to:

  1. compare and contrast the different cultural influences within Mexico.
  2. examine the role of history, religion, education and politics in shaping Mexican culture and philosophy.
  3. demonstrate an ability to speak survival Spanish.
TOPICAL OUTLINE OF UNITS:
At the completion of these units, the student should be able to:

Unit I. Geography

  1. identify geographic states of Mexico.
  2. identify major cities, rivers, mountain ranges and historical places.
Unit II. Language
  1. participate in basic survival situations in Spanish.
  2. evaluate the influence of language on Mexican culture.
Unit III. History
  1. examine the major events of Mexican history.
  2. identify famous Mexican men and women and their roles in shaping the history of Mexico.
Unit IV. Culture
  1. define culture.
  2. examine Mexico's cultural heritage.
Unit V. Education
  1. define education
  2. identify international differences in education.
  3. evaluate the effects of education of culture.
Unit VI. Religion
  1. define religion.
  2. examine integration of indigenous religions and Catholicism.
  3. analyze influence of other present-day religions.
Unit VII. The Social Crisis
  1. identify obstacles to social change.
  2. evaluate the problems of overpopulation.
Unit VIII. Political environment
  1. define global-level issues.
  2. define country-level issues.
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION:
Methods of instruction may include: lectures, group discussions, sharing of experiences, audio-visuals, guest speakers and travel. These methods may be used individually or in combination by the instructor.

Telecourses: Independent study of audio/video materials augmented by text and study guide; collaboration and participation with class members and faculty via available means. Faculty role is facilitator of learning experiences.

METHODS OF EVALUATION:
Methods of evaluation may include tests, class participation, reports on articles from the text, special projects and homework assignments. Other methods may be used at the discretion of the instructor. Grades are determined by the following scale: 90 - 100 (A), 80 - 89 (B), 70-79 (C), 60-69 (D).

Miscellaneous:
Students with impaired sensory, manual or speaking skills are encouraged and have the responsibility to contact their instructor, in a timely fashion, regarding reasonable accommodation needs.