Associate Professor of history Ligia Domenech will teach a course on Contemporary Hispanic History for the Spring Semester.

Beyond the sun and sand of the Caribbean islands there are rich histories and cultures. Both are explored in Northern Essex Community College’s Contemporary Hispanic Caribbean history course. Taught by NECC Professor Ligia Domenech, this course is open to NECC students and members of the community on the Lawrence campus during the spring semester, which begins January 20, 2016.

The three-credit course, which can be counted toward a history/government elective, liberal arts elective or open elective, also fulfills two NECC core intensives required to graduate – global awareness and information literacy.  There is no textbook required for this course.

The course is a survey of the history of the Hispanic Caribbean including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Cuba from 1900 to present day. The political, social, cultural, and economic development of the region will be explored.

“This is an excellent opportunity to understand and connect with the Caribbean beyond hotels and beaches.  We start with maps of the Caribbean countries and move on from there,” says Domenech. “We look at everything from what they eat to gender roles. We look at local celebrations and rituals, videos of life in Cuba, etc.”

When the 16-week course, which meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 2:15 p.m. is complete, students will have a strong understanding of the cultures of the Hispanic islands as well as an understanding of the migration of the islands’ inhabitants to the United States, according to Domenech.

“Students discover that there is much value in those islands,” she says.

Domenech is a member of the NECC Speakers Bureau where she is available to present on The Cuban Embargo and Why it Happened, The History of US Immigration Policies, Hollywood had it Wrong: The Experience of an Immigrant in Haverhill, and India: It’s not what you think.

For additional information contact Ligia Domenech at ldomenech@necc.mass.edu

For information on enrolling in this course or any NECC course, call 978-556-3700, or visit the enrollment website.