A Practical Toolbox

Curricular Pathways in Iberian, Latin American, LatinX Studies, and Beyond

Edited by Palmar Álvarez-Blanco, Christine Henseler, and Stephanie A. Mueller

Subjects: Foreign Language Study, General, Spanish
Imprint: Lever Press
Paperback : 9781643151328, 485 pages, 2 B&W images, 6 x 9, September 2027
Ebook : 9781643151335, 485 pages, 2 B&W images, 6 x 9, September 2027
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.14871167
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Table of Contents

Reinvigorating Iberian, Latin American, and LatinX Studies to better serve students across higher education

Table of contents

FOREWORD: A Roadmap for Designing Thriving Language Programs

Angélica Lozano-Alonso

INTRODUCTION

1. Why Do We Need a Toolbox?

Palmar Álvarez-Blanco, Christine Henseler, and Stephanie A. Mueller

PART I: UNEXPECTED PATHWAYS: Navigating Institutional Structures through Creative Interdisciplinary Models 

2. Spanish Enrollments and Beyond: Pathways to the Postsecondary Language Classroom

Mai Hunt, Natalia Lusin, and Lydia Tang

3. Don’t Be Afraid, Be Bold: Bolstering Language Programs and Embracing the Present and Future

Mark P. Del Mastro

4. Troy University’s Global Scholars Program: Putting the Study in Study Abroad and Boosting the Spanish Program

Richard Ledet, Johanna Méndez Alberich, Wendy Broyles, and Mary Anne Templeton

PART II: CONNECTING TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS: Public Humanities, Civically Engaged Partnerships, and Social Justice

5. Public Humanities in Action: Political Epistemology in Engaged Teaching and Research. Three Case Studies.

Palmar Álvarez-Blanco, Steven L. Torres and Ellen Mayock

6. How a Thriving Community Engaged Program Went Down Hill and Back Up Again: A Case Study on ‘Language Buddies’ at a Liberal Arts College in Rural Minnesota

K. Angelique Dwyer

7. The Community Translation Initiative: Community-Based Approaches and Language Justice in Teaching Spanish Language and Latinx Culture at Marist University

Patricia Ferrer-Medina

PART III: ASSET-BASED APPROACHES AND AGENCY: Heritage, Latinx, Indigenous, and First Gen Learners

8. Empowering Futures: A Community-Engaged Approach to Career Development for Latino/Latinx and First-Generation Students

Ana Cornide, Sean Goslar, and Claudia Jasso

9. Bridging Language Learning and Social Justice: Community-Based Approaches in the Heritage Language Classroom

Gabriela DeRobles and Sergio Adrada-Rafael

10. Co-Creating South Carolina Centro Latino (El Centro): The First University-Based Center in the State for The Study of Hispanic and Latino Cultures

Araceli Hernández-Laroche

11. Teaching Testimonio to Affirm Student Knowledge and Belonging

Britta Anderson

12. Interdisciplinary Decolonizing Approaches in Indigenous Canadian, Iberian, Latin American, and LatinX Education

Joanie Crandall

PART  IV: APPLIED HUMANITIES: Innovations in Language and Area Studies for Specific Purposes

13. Integrating Community Engagement, Human Rights, and Advocacy into the Spanish for Health Professions Curriculum

Edurne Beltrán de Heredia Carmona

14. Addressing Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement in Spanish for the Professions Courses

María del Carmen Caña Jiménez and Vinodh Venkatesh

15. Vital Signs: Interdisciplinary Innovations in Languages for Specific Purposes

Melissa McCarron

16. Upskilling and Upscaling Languages for Specific Purposes Programs for Today’s and Tomorrow’s Global Professions

Luana Lamberti, Megan Jeanette Myers, and Lindsay Preseau

17. Spanish for the Professions: Spanning from Literary and Cultural Teaching to Business, Medical, and Legal Spanish

Elizabeth Scarlett

PART V: BEYOND TEXTBOOKS: Pedagogies to Engage a New Generation

18. Integrating Ecopedagogy in Language Instruction: A Call for Critical Environmental Perspectives

David Delgado López 

19. Enhancing Spanish Speaking Proficiency: AI-Driven Solutions for SSL Learners

Nicole Bonino

20. Collaborative Digital Humanities in the Study of the Spanish Civil War and Francoist Dictatorship

Andrea Davis and Vicent Moreno

Description

With clear roadmaps for university faculty and administrators, A Practical Toolbox outlines engaging and impactful courses, programs, methodologies and partnerships emerging in Iberian, Latin American, and LatinX Studies. Contributors provide exploratory and pragmatic examples of how individuals, groups, and organizations are moving the fields of language, linguistics, and cultural production forward within the broader humanities and higher education landscapes. Many of the projects included in this volume exemplify how Spanish and Hispanic Studies programs can be ideally situated to meet the needs and draw on the strengths of these growing student populations. Chapters are organized into five broad approaches: navigating institutional structures through creative interdisciplinary models; connecting to local communities and organizations through public humanities, civically engaged partnerships, and social justice projects; asset-based pedagogies for Heritage, Latinx, Indigenous, and First Gen learners; innovations in Language and Area Studies for specific purposes; and expanding beyond textbooks to engage a new generation. Topics include enrollments, first-gen students, heritage learners, artificial intelligence, ecological perspectives, Spanish for specific purposes, civic engagement, public scholarship, community collaborations, public humanities, and more. By bringing students, educators, researchers, and communities into meaningful collaboration, it reimagines what the humanities can do.

Palmar Álvarez-Blanco is Professor in the Department of Spanish at Carleton College (MN) and co-founder and president of the International Association ALCESXXI (2010-2026). 

Christine Henseler is Professor Emerita at Union College and co-founder and co-director of the Center for Humanities Communication (CHC).

Stephanie A. Mueller is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Spanish and Hispanic Studies at Union College.

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