Professor: Viera Course format: Seminar Number of respondents: 16 Total Enrollment: 18 Class Composition: Froshs: 3 Sophs: 6 Jrs: 4 Srs: 4 Concs: 1 Non-Concs: 15 Don't Know: 0

Instructor Average: 1.28 Course Average: 1.26

Did you ever wonder about the situation minorities face in other cultures? If so, 'Latin American Jews' may be the course for you. This course is meant to examine the place of Jewish people in Latin American countries and to examine how their culture has changed as a result of Latin America by reading literature by and about Jewish people in Latin America. The only prerequisite for this course was a previous 100-level literature course, but many respondents felt that some knowledge of Latin America or Judaism would have been beneficial.

Professor Vieira was loved by his students. He was commended for his deep knowledge of the subject and his ability to explain complex situations so that students with less expertise could understand the nuances of the sitatuations. Many students felt that he was welcoming of dissenting opinions and that he was very enthusiastic about the subject. Although survey respondents felt that his introduction of the material at the beginning of class was often too lengthy, they nonetheless found it both interesting and useful.

Students spent a moderate amount of time on this class, with most people logging between three and six hours per week working on this class. There were weekly reading assignments for the course, one presentation, an oral presentation, and a ten page take-home final examination. The reading generally consisted of a novel and several short articles, which the students found interesting and relevant to the subject.

In general, students were happy they took this course, saying that they learned a lot and had a great time with the professor. Most people who took the course had a personal interest in the subject matter, and as such they not only learned the material, but also immersed themselves in it. For people interested in the subject matter, it's hard to beat the professor.

View PB/0150 in the Brown Online Course Announcement.