49059 - History of Spanish Culture

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student knows the issues and historical contexts, social aspects of Spanish culture. He can explain socio-cultural issues related to the culture studied and knows the critical tools most appropriate to contextualize, analyze and comment on texts and documents of various kinds, and to relate them with the most significant transformations related to the areas of language reference.

Course contents

TRAUMA, MEMORY, POSTMEMORY: WRITINGS, REWRITINGS, IMAGES OF CIVIL WAR AND FRANCOISM

We will analyze some traumatic events of the Spanish 20th century starting from the cultural and communicative problems of the contemporary world. On this line, historical events, literary and cinematographic re-elaborations of the Spanish Civil War and Francoist repression will be taken into consideration.
In particular, the following themes will be addressed:
The crisis of '98; The Second Republic; The Civil War; Franco's repression; The Democratic Transition; The recovery of historical memory in the new century.
How to tell history: realism, postmodernity, neomodernity; historical memory through genres: theatre, literature and cinema.
Debates on ethical issues: collective memory, oblivion and recognition, reparation and postmemory.
We will also consider images, sound documents, fragments of historical and philosophical essays, past and contemporary documentaries.

Readings/Bibliography

- Miguel Hernández, selection of poems (will be published among the online materials)

- Dulce Chacón, La voz dormida, Madrid, Alfaguara, 2002

- Carlos Fonseca, Trece rosas rojas, Madrid, Temas de hoy, 2004

- Benjamín Prado, Mala gente que camina, Madrid, Punto de lectura, 2006

- Laila Ripoll, Niños perdidos, Oviedo, KRK, 2010.

The texts must be read in the original language and in full version.

Further references will be made available on line between teaching materials during the course. 

Filmography

Raza, dir. José Luis Sáenz de Heredia (1941)

¡Ay Carmela!, dir. Carlos Saura (1990)

La lengua de las mariposas, dir. José Luis Cuerda (1999)

For NON-FREQUENTANTS this examination program is valid with the addition of:

-online material dedicated to non-attendants and which will be made available by the end of the course;

- Javier Cercas, Soldados de Salamina, Barcelona, Tusquets, 2001

- José Sanchis Sinisterra, ¡Ay Carmela!, 1987

Teaching methods

Lectures and seminars.

Assessment methods

The exam consists of an oral interview in Spanish. Will verify the critical and methodological skills gained by the student, who will be invited to confront the texts studied during the course. Will be particularly assessed the student's ability to move himself within the sources and bibliographical material in order to identify in them the useful information to illustrate the similarities and cultural areas of the discipline. The achievement by the student of an organic vision of the issues, joined with their critical use, the ownership of expression and specific language will be assessed with a mark of excellence. A mechanical and/or mnemonic knowledge of the topics, synthesis and analysis partially articulated and/or correct but not always appropriate language, will be judged as good; gaps in the preparation and / or inappropriate language - although in a context of minimal knowledge of readings - will lead to votes as sufficiency. Important gaps, inappropriate language, lack of knowledge within the reference materials offered during the course will be evaluated negatively.

Teaching tools

Will be projected images and video.

Will be made available on-line teaching materials, the study of which is obligatory, some of the main themes of the program.

Office hours

See the website of Luigi Contadini