Cultural Competency
In this section, I reflect on the coursework that defined my cultural competency to be aware, understand, and support a lifestyle previously unknown to me, in the wake of Spanish literature and film.
Artifacts
The pieces that matter most.
SPAN 4070: Spanish Women Directors & Human Rights
SPAN 4350: Contemporary Hispanic Culture
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Course objective:
Focus on the fight for Human Rights that Spanish directors, such as
Icíar Bollaín, have undertaken over the recent years through the discussion and criticization of 20th and 21st centuries Spanish filmography.
01
For the final project in SPAN 4070, I collaborated with a team to explore the role of children in modern Spanish society through a film analysis. This project helped me develop leadership and adaptability skills, particularly in managing group dynamics and ensuring timely project completion. I also enhanced my ability to connect historical and socio-political contexts, such as Spain’s post-Franco era, to modern issues like public health. The experience of analyzing a film related to HIV/AIDS underscored the societal impact of infectious diseases, a topic relevant to my future career in public health.
Course objective:
Study the social, political, economic, and artistic manifestations of contemporary Hispanic culture through literature, music, art, and film.
02
In my Contemporary Hispanic Culture course, I analyzed El perro del hortelano, a cinematographic adaptation of a Spanish Golden Age literary work. This project allowed me to explore how the political and societal tensions of Spain's Golden Age relate to modern health disparities, particularly, regarding social hierarchies and gender inequality. The challenge of deciphering archaic Spanish helped me appreciate the differences between film and literature as mediums of cultural reflection. Connecting these historical works to public health issues highlighted the importance of understanding social determinants of health, a critical aspect of my future career in public health.