What I said socially: “I am in Comparative Literature and Latin American Studies.”
I felt comfortable with this.
I sign “Spanish” sometimes and “Hispanic Studies” sometimes, because those are the words my institution uses. Of the two I much prefer Hispanic Studies, but I am comfortable with neither.
What is the difference? Well, visualize the courses.
I would never have majored in a national literature and I think the difference between people who do that and people who do something else is profound.
Even though Hispanic Studies is ultra-cool as a field, I still do not identify with the sentence, “I am a Hispanist.” But “I am in Comparative Literature” or “I am in Latin American Studies” feel true.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 