81790 - History of the Catalan Culture

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this course the student knows social, geographical and historical aspects and contexts of the Catalan language and culture. The student is able to expose problems with specific properties of socio-cultural order and has the instruments to contextualize, analyse and comment texts and documents of various types, and place them in relation with the most significant transformations relating to cultural fields of reference.

Course contents

The course, taught in Italian, provides an introduction to the history of Catalan culture from its origins to the present day through the study of key themes, historical events, places and cultural figures that have contributed to shaping the Catalan cultural imagination.

Following an introductory discussion of the concept of culture and its major theoretical approaches, the course examines the role of the Catalan language as a vehicle of cultural production and identity formation within the broader European and Mediterranean context. It then explores significant moments in Catalan history and their cultural representations, with particular attention to the relationship between collective memory, representations of the past and the construction of cultural identities.

Part of the course is devoted to the cultural construction of landscape and territory through literature, mountaineering, the hiking movement, the visual arts and other forms of cultural representation. The course also examines Catalan Modernisme, the role of architecture in shaping the contemporary image of Barcelona, and the artistic avant-garde movements of the twentieth century, with particular attention to their reflections on the very concept of culture.

The final part of the course focuses on contemporary Catalonia, addressing topics such as the Spanish Civil War, the Franco dictatorship, the Nova Cançó, Spain's transition to democracy, policies of linguistic and cultural normalisation, the Catalan independence movement, and selected expressions of contemporary Catalan culture in a global context.

Through the analysis of literary texts, historical documents, works of art, audiovisual materials, musical productions and digital resources, the course aims to provide students with the analytical tools required to understand the complexity of Catalan culture, both in its historical development and in its contemporary expressions.

Topics

1. What is culture? Theories and definitions.
2. The Catalan language: culture, identity and nation-building.
3. Memory, conflict and the construction of the past: from the Guerra dels Segadors to 1714.
4. Mountains, hiking and the invention of landscape.
5. Sea, rivers and borders in modern Catalan culture.
6. Modernisme, architecture and the making of the contemporary city.
7. The artistic avant-garde and the redefinition of the concept of culture.
8. The Spanish Civil War, Francoism, the Nova Cançó and the democratic transition.
9. Linguistic normalisation, FC Barcelona, Rosalía and the Procés.
10. Contemporary Catalonia: heritage, globalisation and new cultural expressions.

Readings/Bibliography

Recommended reading

Hughes, Robert (1992/2004). Barcelona. London: Vintage.

Balcells, A. (2003). A History of Catalonia. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Diversos autors (2018). La nazione catalana. Storia, lingua, politica, costituzione nella prospettiva plurinazionale. Napoli: Editoriale Scientifica.

Vega, Eulàlia (a cura di) (2009). Pensando alla Catalogna. Cultura, storia e società. Alessandria: Edizioni dell’Orso.

Rubert de Ventós, X. (1999). De la identitat a la independència. Barcelona: Empúries.

Additional bibliographical references, audiovisual materials and other resources related to the individual course topics (Catalan Modernisme, the artistic avant-garde, the Nova Cançó, FC Barcelona, contemporary Catalan culture, etc.) will be provided throughout the course via the University's Virtuale e-learning platform.

Teaching methods

The course combines lectures with guided analysis of a wide range of materials, with the aim of fostering a critical understanding of Catalan culture in both its historical development and its contemporary expressions.

Lectures introduce the main themes, historical events, cultural figures and phenomena examined throughout the course, placing them within their historical, linguistic and social contexts. Particular attention is devoted to the relationships between language, memory, territory, cultural heritage and the construction of the Catalan cultural imagination.

Teaching activities draw on a variety of primary and secondary sources, including literary and critical texts, historical documents, works of art, audiovisual materials, musical productions and digital resources, in order to promote an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Catalan culture.

Students are encouraged to participate actively through guided discussions and classroom debate on the topics addressed during the course.

Comparative reflection on Catalonia and other European and Mediterranean contexts provides an additional framework for exploring the dynamics of cultural and linguistic diversity in contemporary societies.

Assessment methods

Assessment consists of an oral examination, conducted in Italian, lasting approximately 20–25 minutes.

Marking criteria

18–21: satisfactory achievement of the learning outcomes; general knowledge of the course content with limited analytical and contextualisation skills.

22–25: good knowledge of the authors, literary works and topics covered; adequate analytical and interpretative skills.

26–29: thorough and confident knowledge of the course content; good ability to interpret literary works critically, contextualise them appropriately and establish meaningful connections between texts, authors and cultural phenomena.

30–30 with honours: outstanding and comprehensive knowledge of the topics covered; excellent critical and interpretative skills, a high degree of intellectual independence, and rigorous use of the methodological tools of the discipline.

The use of generative Artificial Intelligence tools during the examination is not permitted.

With regard to assessment, the use of generative AI constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Students with SLDs or temporary or permanent disabilities: we suggest that you contact the relevant university office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) and your teacher immediately to work together to find the most effective strategies for attending classes and/or preparing for exams.
Any requests for exam accommodations must be made at least 15 days before the date of the exam, by sending an email to the teacher and copying (Cc) the email address disabilita@unibo.it (in case of disability) or dsa@unibo.it (for students with Specific Learning Difficulties).

Teaching tools

The course makes use of the following teaching resources:

• the University's Virtuale e-learning platform for the distribution of teaching materials, bibliographical references and course announcements;
• literary texts in the original language and in translation;
• critical essays and supplementary reading materials selected by the instructor;
• audiovisual materials and films used as part of the seminar module;
• digital resources, online archives and electronic databases supporting the study of Catalan literature and culture.

The responsible use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may support independent study, bibliographical research and further individual learning, provided that any AI-generated content is subject to critical evaluation and independent verification by students.

Office hours

See the website of Lidia Carol Gerones