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February 2001, update of June 1988
Anthony Vaver, Humanities Librarian
Latin American Studies provides a field of concentration and a program for those who wish to structure their studies of Latin America. It offers an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the areas of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, as well as the experiences of Latinos in the United States.
Latin American Studies combines several disciplines with intensive study of Latin-American countries. Study in Latin America for a term or year is encouraged by the University. Concentrators have studied in universities in Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, and Brazil, as well as Spain, and other possibilities are available. Other courses, particularly those dealing with Portuguese and Latin-American economic development may be taken at neighboring institutions to Brandeis.
The collection is designed to support courses of study offered at the undergraduate level in the area of Latin American Studies. Material collected on Latin America includes anthropology, economics, history, literature, politics, and sociology, as well as Spanish and Portuguese languages. The subject literature includes Latin-American, Caribbean, and Afro-Latin literature. Latin-American literature is coordinated between Latin American Studies and Spanish, with both purchasing items for the collection. Most of the collecting for Caribbean and Afro-Latin literature in English is covered by the English and American Literature collection development policy. Most of the material collected on antiquities and archaeology is handled by anthropology.
None Specified
Material is collected on countries from these geographical entities:
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Material is also collected on various ethnic groups in the United States, i.e., Mexicans in the United States, etc., which is also a prominent interest in American Studies and American History.
Material collected includes all time periods, but emphasis is on collecting current material.
Material collected includes retrospective and current publication dates, with emphasis mainly on current. Reprints are collected if the Library does not own the original editions.
Material collected is mainly in English and Spanish. Some Portuguese material, particularly Brazilian literature, is collected, although Portuguese is not taught at Brandeis. Students utilize facilities of neighboring institutions in the Boston Consortium. Some Indian, Creole, and Afro-American dialects from Latin America are collected as needed.
Monographs are primary to the collection. Reports of conferences and congresses are selectively collected, as are government documents.
Serials are also primary to the collection.
The library buys or subscribes to electronic indexes and full-text databases that offer research value. Links to free websites are not actively collected together on the library's website.
Research collections in microfilm are purchased as needed.
Dissertations are acquired only on a highly selective basis.
Video and audio materials are acquired as needed.
Materials are located in standard locations throughout the library.
Two collections in Special Collections at Brandeis University Libraries deal with Latin America. The first is a collection of documents dealing with the Bolivian Revolution, including many labor documents. The second is the Parr Collection dealing with the discovery and exploration of Latin America.
Subject Area |
Collecting Levels |
|
| Agriculture | Undergraduate Study | |
| Anthropology | Undergraduate Study | |
| Antiquities and Archaeology | Undergraduate Study | |
| Art and Music | Undergraduate Study | |
| Economics | Undergraduate Study | |
| History | Graduate Study | |
| Law | Undergraduate Study | |
| Literature | ||
| Latin-American | Undergraduate Study | |
| Caribbean | Undergraduate Study | |
| Afro-Latin American | Undergraduate Study | |
| Politics | Graduate Study | |
| Science | Selective/Basic | |
| Sociology | Undergraduate Study | |
| Spanish | Undergraduate Study | |
| Portuguese | Selective/Basic | |
