Arcaded galleries in the Fort of San Juan de Ulua in Veracruz, Mexico

Arcaded galleries in the Fort of San Juan de Ulua in Veracruz, Mexico, where for over three centuries the treasures of New Spain and the Philippines were stored prior to their yearly transport to Europe.

The Program

Objectives

I had an amazing experience in the program. I studied in La Habana, Cuba, for two of the four semesters, a privileged opportunity that I fully embraced. My experience living and studying in Cuba served me well in both the professional and personal arenas. Currently I am Director of Support Programs for a non-profit group in Brooklyn, NY, that provides services for adults and children with developmental disabilities.  In addition I am an adjunct professor of history at Boricua College in Manhattan.  

Miguel Torres-Castro '05

General Objectives

The Masters in Caribbean Cultural Studies program aims to promote a critical and trans-disciplinary vision of the Caribbean and the broader Insular Atlantic world through the study of the sociocultural diversity, and of the national and transnational issues--as well as the post-national possibilities--of that broad region and its peoples. Our aim is to favor in situ studies and the development of a better understanding of the region through cultural immersion and interpersonal contacts. Nothing could be more consistent with the history and traditions of the Caribbean. To this end, and unlike most graduate programs in US universities, we place a major emphasis on studying abroad, dedicating half of the program to an on-site exploration of the Greater Caribbean and Atlantic Insular geography from its Levant in Seville to the setting Sun over the Yucatan peninsula.

It is our interest to develop young scholars and to furnish them with the tools required to perform in-depth cultural analysis and historical research in archival settings. Transdisciplinarity means little without structure and without a set of critical, technical, and language skills that help guide innovative work. The outcome of individual studies can take many forms as students prepare their master's thesis and projects. Yet, all will receive a rigorous academic training in cultural literacy and rigorous historical investigation.

Specific Objectives

First Semester
  1. Offer a broad historical and cultural panorama of the Caribbean to facilitate an in-depth understanding of the complexities of Caribbean culture and of its dynamic processes of identity formation.
  2. Develop reading skills and practical use of the Spanish language as well as a critical approach to bibliographic sources.
  3. Teach archival research strategies, paleographic skills, as well as transcription and translation of primary documents.
  4. Prepare students for their study abroad experience in Mexico and Spain.
Second Semester
  1. Broaden the trans-disciplinary framework for the analysis and study of Caribbean culture in situ through strategies and methods proper to field work research.
  2. Deepen the study and understanding of cultural diversity and syncretistic practices in the Caribbean by exposing students to a broad cultural panorama and the unique multi-layered history of the Yucatan Peninsula at the intersection of the Caribbean and the Mayab world.
  3. Develop independent research and thinking skills and the use of the Spanish language in context.
Third Semester
  1. Expose students to a broad set of visions, research methodologies, and period studies concerning the colonial and modern history and culture of Spanish America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean.
  2. Broaden student understanding of the Insular Atlantic world (as including the Canary Islands) and its geopolitical possibilities beyond the hegemonic paradigms of North Atlantic powers (i.e., the European Union and the United States of America).
  3. Practice and refine archival research, transcription and translation skills.
  4. Define the specific thematic scope of the Master's research project and present it to the Academic Committee.
Fourth Semester
  1. Consolidate and demonstrate research, analytical and critical skills through the presentation and defense of a research project before the Academic Committee.
  2. Promote the enrichment of the knowledge base in the field of Caribbean studies by encouraging students to publish their Master's projects.