Class Description
Celebrities and stars have a complex role in the production, circulation, and negotiation of meanings, identities, and ideologies of their image or fame. In the case of Latinx and Latin American stars, they also experience a continual process of negotiation between dominant discourses—regarding race, gender, and sexuality—and the historical and cultural backgrounds of Latinx and Latin American communities in the United States. Through several case studies from the early 1900s to the 2010s, we will examine how stars have played a role in establishing, reinforcing, and challenging widespread ethnic and racial notions of “Latinidad” in American popular culture. Some of these stars were able to pivot into different, more nuanced portrayals, while others leaned into the type, basing their public personas on Hollywood’s limited definition of them. We will also explore the variety of ways in which Latinx and Latin American stardom is socially constructed and actively contested.
Crystal Camargo is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Radio/TV/Film at Northwestern University. Her research explores the intersections of Latinx representation, film and media studies, language ideologies, and critical race and ethnic studies. She has been published in Flow, SCMS+, and the Journal of Cinema Studies.
Materials List
Required
Readings
- Mary C. Beltrán, Latina/o Stars in US Eyes: The Making and Meanings of Film and TV Stardom. University of Illinois Press, 2009. ISBN: 9780252076510 (Please Note: We are unable to stock the book in our store, but the full text is available on the Internet Archive. You can also buy the book directly from the publisher or find used copies for sale at online stores like AbeBooks.)
- Clara Rodríguez, Heroes, Lovers, and Others: The Story of Latinos in Hollywood. Oxford University Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780195335132 (Please Note: We are unable to stock the book in our store, but copies are available at the Chicago Public Library. You can also find used copies for sale at online stores like AbeBooks.)
- Digital Course Packet
Viewings
- Dir. King Vidor, Bird of Paradise. RKO Radio Pictures, 1932. Available for free on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/h0oOuaxIVrU?si=GOC15O1r1ifOq_fd
- Dir. Robert Wise, West Side Story. United Artists, 1961. Available to stream on Max or to rent on Apple TV and Amazon Video.
- Dir. Luis Valdez, Zoot Suit. Universal Pictures, 1981. Available to rent on Apple TV and Amazon Video.
- The first two episodes of I Love Lucy (1951-1957). Available to stream on Paramount+ or to buy on Apple TV and Amazon Video.
- Two episodes of Modern Family (2009-2019). Available to stream on Hulu and Peacock or to buy on Apple TV and Amazon Video.
First Reading
Read the following for the first session:
- Richard Dyer, “Introduction” from Heavenly Bodies
- Paul McDonald, “Stardom as a System” from The Star System: Hollywood’s Production of Popular Identities
- Mary Beltrán, “Introduction: Latina and Latino Stars in US Eyes” from Latino/a Stars in US Eyes: The Making and Meanings of Film and TV Stardom
Cost and Registration
6 Sessions, $245 ($220 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We now offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($245), Community Supported ($230), and Sponsor ($260). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
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