Chapter 22: An Inclusive Approach to Bringing Asia Into the Introductory Spanish Class

When thinking of Latin America and Spanish language studies, students seldom connect the region with Asia, instead focusing on the historic mingling of European, African, and indigenous peoples (Hu-DeHart & Lopez, 2008). However, exploring themes of connection between Asia and Latin America in the introductory Spanish classroom enriches students’ understanding of diversity in the region and allows them to connect interdisciplinary knowledge and make comparisons across cultures.

Although early Asian connections to Latin America have not been as widely studied, several works are available outlining the history of immigration to the region during the Spanish colonial period, with many of these studies focused on one group (e.g., Chinese, Japanese.) An excellent overview can be found in “Asian Diasporas in Latin America and the Caribbean: An Historical Overview” by Hu-DeHart and Lopez (2008) which serves as the introduction to a special edition of Afro-Hispanic Review on the theme. Other compelling studies can be found in works by Affigne and Lien (2002) and Takenaka (2004).