Upasana Thakkar

Spanish Instructor, UNBC

*** – *426,

*** ******, ******,

BC, V3W 6G4

Canada

Phone: +1-604-***-****

Email: ady6fb@r.postjobfree.com

Status in Canada: Canadian Citizen

Education

2013 – 2019 PhD, Hispanic Studies, University of British Columbia, Canada Thesis: Reading Testimonio Today: Central American Literature from 1982 to the Present

Supervisor: Dr. Jon Beasley-Murray

2011 – 2013 PhD Coursework, Hispanic Studies, University of Delhi, India Thesis: Reading Testimonio in Contemporary Times

Supervisor: Dr. Vijaya Venkataraman

2010 – 2011 MPhil Coursework, Hispanic Studies, University of Delhi, India 2008 – 2010 Master of Arts, Hispanic Studies, University of Delhi, India 2005 – 2008 BA Honours (first class), Spanish Language and Literature, University of Delhi, India.

Scholarships and Awards

2017/9 – 2018/8 Faculty of Arts Graduate Award, University of British Columbia 2013/9 – 2017/9 Four Year Fellowship, University of British Columbia 2013/9 – 2017/9 International Tuition Award, University of BritishColumbia 2011/7 – 2013/7 University Teaching Assistantship, University of Delhi 2011/6 – 2011/7 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Award, Government of Spain Teaching and Research Interests

Latin American Literature

Central American Fiction and film

Testimonial Literature (Latin America and India)

Literature and film from the South Asian Diaspora

Comparative Literature

Cultural Studies, Memory Studies, Subaltern Studies Thakkar, 2

Teaching

2020 – Present Instructor, University of Northern British Columbia INTS 181, Beginner Spanish

Designed Syllabi, Assignments, and other forms of evaluation.

Supervised Teaching Assistants.

Taught Spanish on topics related to its Language and Culture online

Explained concepts in Spanish Language clearly and concisely online

Introduced Spanish and Latin American Culture through songs and videos specific to these countries

Provided guidance to undergraduate students researching term papers on Spanish Language

Graded term papers, final examinations, and student tutorial participation

Counselled students experiencing difficulties in the course 2017 – 2018 Instructor, University of British Columbia Spanish 202, Elementary Spanish II

Taught advanced Spanish grammar, such as subjunctive, conditional. Past- perfect, and conditional perfect.

Facilitated conversations on topics related to technology, media, and sports

Facilitated discussion on Latin American short stories and films

Helped students in clearly articulating their thoughts, written and verbal, about Latin American literature and film.

Prepared questions for assignments and examinations

Graded term papers, final examinations, and student tutorial participation

Counseled students experiencing difficulties in the course 2016 – 2017 Instructor, University of British Columbia Spanish 101, Beginner’s Spanish”

Taught Spanish on topics related to its Language and Culture under the supervision of the Course Coordinator

Explained concepts in Spanish Language clearly and concisely

Introduced Spanish and Latin American Culture through songs and videos specific to these countries

Provided guidance to undergraduate students researching term papers on Spanish Language

Graded term papers, final examinations, and student tutorial participation

Counselled students experiencing difficulties in the course 2016 Tutor, University of British Columbia

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Worked in the departmental Learning Centre to tutor Undergraduate students and help them improve their written and oral Spanish language skills

2011/7 – 2013/7 Teaching Assistant, University of Delhi B.A. (Hons) Spanish Culture and Literature

Developed reading and writing skills in Spanish Language

Developed listening and speaking skills

Prepared question papers for the students

Graded term papers, final examinations, and student tutorial participation 2010/10 – 2011/9 Lecturer, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi Certificate course in Spanish language

Taught Spanish grammar to a diverse age group

Provided guidance related to Spanish language

Developed writing and reading skills

Introduced Spanish Culture

2010/9 – 2011/10 Lecturer, Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi Post Graduate Diploma in Global Business

Taught Business Spanish

Constructed the Spanish syllabus and implemented it in classroom Publications

Peer Reviewed

2019 “La memoria atormenta el presente: Literatura y cine centroamericano.” Identidades: Revista de ciencias sociales y humanidades (San Salvador, ISSN 2224-4727) 12: 102 - 130.

ForthComing

Other

“Transnationalism and Testimonio in Contemporary Central American Migrant Literature.” Revista Canadiense de Estudios Hispánicos 2015 “Katmandú Lullaby: el “Oriente” de Iciar Bollain.” Actas del III Congreso Ibero-Asiático de Hispanistas. Biblioteca Áurea Digital, 33 (2015): 201- 208.

Selected Presentations

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May 2020 “Trauma and Suspense in Latin American Testimonio: A South – South Connection” Topologies of Compassion: Navigating Trauma in Latin America and Beyond. Latin American Studies Association, Virtual. June 2019 “Reading Testimonio in Latin America and in India” Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vancouver, Canada. March 2019 “Reading Testimonio Today in Central American Literature: Parody and Subversion.” 8th Latin America Research Group Workshop, University of Victoria, Canada.

May 2018 “Transnationalism and Testimonio in Contemporary Central American Migrant Literature.” Canadian Association of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Montreal.

July 2017 “La memoria en ficciones contemporáneas y en testimonios de Centroamérica.” Debates culturales: memoria e interculturalidad, Universidad de Centroamérica, Managua, Nicaragua.

May 2017 “Language and Identity in Central American Migrant Narratives.” Department of English, University of British Columbia. April 2017 “Migration and Transnational Cities in Central American Literature.” Department of Central, Eastern and Northern European Studies, University of British Columbia.

Services

2020/05 Associated with Rungh Magazine, https://rungh.org/ 2020/06 Film Selection Committee, Forest City Film Festival, Ontario. 2020/05 Steering Group Member, Virtual Koerner’s/Virtual Seminar on Zoom. https://blogs.ubc.ca/virtualkoerners/

2020/05 Co-Organizer, Panel: Topologies of Compassion: Navigating Trauma in Latin America and Beyond. Latin American Studies Association, Virtual. 2017/9 Co-Organizer, Graduate Conference, Beyond the Right Turn: Narrating Resistance, University of British Columbia

2016 – 2017 Editor, UBC Outside-In: International Photojournal 2016 Instructional Skill Workshop, UBC Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology

2014/3 Volunteer, Performing Utopias International Conference, University of British Columbia

Organized space for workshops, escorted guests and general administration

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2012/2 Organizer, Delhi University Antardhwani Cultural festival, University of 2012/10

Delhi

Choreographer, Sarita Sadan Bengali Cultural Association, New Delhi Artistic Performance

Theatre Performance, Historia de una escalera, New Delhi, India.

Group dance, Bengali folk dance, Rabindra Sadan, West Bengal, India.

Group dance, Bharatnatyam (Indian Classical dance), New Delhi, India.

Solo dance, Rabindra Sangeet, (Bengali dance form), New Delhi, India. Languages

Speak Write Read

English Fluent Fluent Fluent

Spanish Fluent Fluent Fluent

Hindi Fluent Fluent Fluent

Bengali Native No Moderate

References

Dr. Jon Beasley-Murray, Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies, University of British Columbia (Thesis Supervisor). Email: ady6fb@r.postjobfree.com

Dr. Kim Beauchesne, Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies, Universityof British Columbia (Thesis Committee). Email: ady6fb@r.postjobfree.com

Enrique Manchón, Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies, University ofBritish Columbia (Spanish Course Coordinator). Email: ady6fb@r.postjobfree.com

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