71150 - Basque Language and Culture

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student knows the historical, geographical and social aspects and contexts of the Basque language and culture. The student is able to present specific socio-cultural problems relating to the basque language and culture and has the critical tools for contextualizing, analyzing and commenting on literary texts and documents of various types relating them to the significant transformations relating to the cultural fields of reference.

Course contents

1. Introduction. Basic knowledge of geography, sociolinguistics and administrative distribution.

2. Origin theories. Historical limits and evolution of the language.

3. Some notions of the Basque language (for culture students 6-8 lessons)

4. Euskara jalgi hadi mundura. The birth of literature and classical literature.

5. Oral culture. The Bertsolaritza.

6. History and culture of the first half of the twentieth century.

7. Reinvention in the 60s. New aesthetics and new song. The standard language and early modern literature.

8. The Basque conflict. From the origins to the dissolution of ETA.

9. Culture from the 90s to today.

10.Current Basque society.

Readings/Bibliography

PERCORSO CULTURALE

1 - IGARTUA, Iban / ZABALTZA, Xabier. Euskara. La lengua vasca. Basque Language. Etxepare Euskal Institutua, 2020.

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/euskera/relacionados/euskara_eusen_compressed.pdf

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/euskera/relacionados/euskara_euscast_compressed.pdf

2- Scegliere uno:

ARZALLUS, Amets e BALDE Ibraima. Fratellino. Feltrinelli, 2021.

ATXAGA, Bernardo. Obabakoak. 21 lettere, 2020.

JAIO, Karmele. La casa del padre. Solferino, 2022.

SAIZARBITORIA, Ramon. "Cento metri". Memoranda Edizioni, 1985 https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByAEfoCjW_R9M2NXUl9Fb2NNcGM/view?usp=sharing

URRETABIZKAIA, Arantxa. Quaderno rosso. Gran Vía, 2008.

3 e 4-Scegliere due:

ARAOLAZA, Oier. Euskal dantza. La danza vasca. Basque dance. Etxepare Institutua, 2020.

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/cultura/categorias/relacionados/basque_dantza_eus_cas-comprimido.pdf

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/cultura/categorias/relacionados/basque_dantza_eus_en_compressed.pdf

ETXEBERRIA, Hasier. Euskal sukaldaritzaz. Sobre cocina vasca. On basque cuisine. Etxepare Institutua, 2020.

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/cultura/categorias/relacionados/sukaldaritza_gaz_online_def_compressed.pdf

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/cultura/categorias/relacionados/sukaldaritza_en_online_def2_compressed.pdf

EZKERRA, Estibaliz. XX. Mendeko euskal literatura. Basque literature in the XXth century. Etxepare Euskal Institutua, 2012.

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/cultura/categorias/relacionados/xx__mendeko_euskal_literatura_-_literatura_vasca_del_siglo_xx_-_basque_literature_in_the_twentieth_century.pdf

FERNANDEZ, Joxean. Euskal zinema. Cine vasco. Basque cinema.Etxepare Euskal Institutua, 2012.

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/cultura/categorias/relacionados/euskal_zinema_-_cine_vasco_-_basque_cinema2.pdf

GARTZIA, Joxerra. Bertsolaritza. Etxepare Euskal Institutua, 2020.

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/cultura/categorias/relacionados/basque_bertsolaritza_eus_en_compressed.pdf

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/cultura/categorias/relacionados/basque_bertsolaritza_eus_cas_compressed.pdf

LEIZAOLA, Aizpea. Tradizioak. Traditions. Tradiciones. Etxepare Euskal Instituta, 2020.

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/cultura/categorias/relacionados/tradizioak_eus-eng_online.pdf

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/cultura/categorias/relacionados/tradizioak_eus-es_online.pdf

URTUSAGA, Eskisabel. Euskal kantagintza; pop, rock, folk. La canción vasca. Basque songwriting. Etxepare Euskal Institutua, 2020.

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/cultura/categorias/relacionados/euskal_kantagintza_eus-es5.pdf

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/cultura/categorias/relacionados/euskal_kantagintza_eus-en3.pdf

NON OBLIGATORIO. Per chi vuole sapere di più sulla storia contemporanea dei Paesi Baschi:

CIRULLI, Adriano. L'ascia e il serpente. Il nazionalismo basco dopo la lotta armata. Datanews, 2012. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326395862_L'ascia_e_il_serpente_L'ETA_e_il_nazionalismo_basco_dopo_la_fine_della_lotta_armata

5- PER LE LEZIONI DI LINGUA: Elkar, Arian A1.1, Lan-koadernoa, 2013.

GLI STUDENTI NON FREQUENTANTI SONO PREGATI DI CONTATTARE IL DOCENTE

PERCORSO LINGUISTICO (LETTORATO)

1 - IGARTUA, Iban / ZABALTZA, Xabier. Euskara. La lengua vasca. Basque Language. Etxepare Euskal Institutua, 2020.

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/euskera/relacionados/euskara_eusen_compressed.pdf

https://www.etxepare.eus/media/uploads/euskera/relacionados/euskara_euscast_compressed.pdf

2- Elkar, Arian A1.1, Lan-koadernoa, 2013.

Teaching methods

Lectures with student participation.


Vision and critical reading of materials related to Basque culture.

Assessment methods

Students have to decide to follow a cultural path or a linguistic path (lettorato). In the case of the cultural path, with few language lessons, there will be a written exam on the linguistic contents and an oral exam on the bibliographic contents in the programme.

In the case of the Basque lecturer, with some cultural content and more linguistic content, the exam will be written on language and an oral exam on cultural content.

Students of the lettorato will be able to access a scholarship for a Basque summer course in the Basque Country during the summer of 2024.


The program can be adapted, whenever possible, to personal requests. If in doubt, ask the teacher.

Office hours

See the website of Inaki Alfaro Vergarachea