Measuring Canonicity: Graduate Read­ing Lists in Departments of Hispanic Studies

Abstract

This article discusses methods to determine canonical changes in graduate reading lists using a quantitative approach. Using diversity indexes common in ecology as well as simple data exploration and distance measure techniques to study levels of canonical dominance and gender equality, we compare over 90 samples from Hispanic Studies programs in the U.S. We use these indexes to study how some of these lists have changed over time and their success in representing the diversity of experiences and social groups in Spain and Latin America.