HISTORY OF SPANISH CULTURE AND SOCIETY

The course is characterizing for students who chooses Spanish language and literature A or B during the studies on «Lingue, civiltà e scienze del linguaggio», for every three plans (Letterario-culturale, Linguistico-filologico-glottodidattico, Politico-internazionale). Could be also chosen in the studying plan as free-choice credits or as an integrative course.
The course aims to offer an approach to the concept of national identity from the Spanish case and the role of literature in this process, for which we will study 1) the different theories on the concept of national identity and nation, as well as 2) a selection of literary texts as an example of the development of Spanish identity from the Middle Ages to the 21st century.

Knowledge and understanding
- The principal features of culture and literature of Spanish Golden Age, with special attention to Cervantes.
- The socio-cultural context (history, literary periods) of 16-117th Century Spain.
- The analysis tools and it specific terminology, among the critical tradition.
Ability to apply knowledge and skills:
- Frame the literary text in its socio-cultural context.
- Apply critically the tools of text analysis and discuss other critical opinions.
Judgement ability
- Self-evaluation of comprehension capacities of Spanish language
- Critical analysis of literary texts (structure, linguistical aspects, relations with culture, etc.), autonomous judgement in the interpretation and discussion of texts.
Communicative skills
- Speaking and writing (in Spanish) ability of communication (with specialists and non-specialists), in order to provide information, express ideas, put and resolve questions about Spanish culture and literature (specially about Cervantes) in a critical way, using the suitable bibliography and terminology.
Learning
- Plan the study of the provided material with autonomy, select the bibliographical and electronic sources to increase the knowledge of Cervantes' and Spanish literature.

Knowledge of the Spanish language to read critic and literary texts.

1. A puzzle: nations to arm
1.1. The name of the thing: identity, nationalism, patria
1.2. Navel of the world and the age of nations (a bit of theory)
1.3. One and different: the mosaic of Spain
1.4. Fiction papers: literature and nations
2. Spanish fragments: Middle Ages and Golden Age
2.1. Paradise lost: the origins and epic of the conquest
2.2. A dreamed Spain and it myths
2.3. Theater chronicles: Lope de Vega’s histories
3. Monsters of Spanish reason (18-19 centuries)
3.1. To be or not to be: between Africa and Europe
3.2. Black and pink legends
4. A Spain in pieces: bounds and crisis in 20-21 centuries
4.1. 98' pain: Unamuno
4.2. Period: the Civil War and the Spanish subject
4.3. No one's land: the key of the exile
4.4. One for all: the Aramburu phenomenon

Compulsory readings
1. Antología de poesía sobre España (siglos XX-XXI), ed. A. J. Sáez, [Moodle].
2. ARAMBURU, Los peces de la amargura, Barcelona, Tusquets, 2006.
3. CADALSO, José, Cartas marruecas, ed. R. P. Sebold, Madrid, Cátedra, 1989 [selección, Moodle].
4. CHAVES NOGALES, Manuel, A sangre y fuego: héroes, bestias y mártires de España, ed. M.ª I. Cintas Guillén y prólogo A. Trapiello, Sevilla, Renacimiento, 2013 [selección, Moodle].
5. VEGA, Lope de, El conde Fernán González, ed. A. J. Sáez, en Comedias de Lope de Vega. Parte XIX, coord. A. García-Reidy y F. Plata, Madrid, Gredos, 2020, vol. 2, pp. 931-1102. ISBN: 978-84-24939-34-2. [Moodle].
Integrative readings
ÁLVAREZ JUNCO, José, Dioses útiles: naciones y nacionalismos, Barcelona, Galaxia Gutenberg, 2016 [pp. 1-52].
GUILLÉN, Claudio, «Tristes tópicos: imágenes nacionales y escritura literaria», en Múltiples moradas: ensayo de literatura comparada, Barcelona, Tusquets, 1998, pp. 336-367.
SÁEZ, Adrián J., Godos de papel: identidad nacional y reescritura en el Siglo de Oro, Madrid, Cátedra, 2019 [pp. 55-79].
SÁNCHEZ JIMÉNEZ, Antonio, «Historia y fortuna de la leyenda negra», en Leyenda negra: la batalla sobre la imagen de España en tiempos de Lope de Vega, Madrid, Cátedra, 2016, pp. 89-147.
SMITH, Anthony D., «The Genealogy of Nations: An Ethno-Symbolic Approach», en When is the Nation?: Towards and Understanding of Theories of Nationalism, ed. A. Ichijo y G. Uzelac, London-New York, Routledge, 2005, pp. 94-112.
Extra readings
ÁLVAREZ JUNCO, José, Mater dolorosa: la idea de España en el siglo XIX, Madrid, Taurus, 2009.
— (coord.), Las historias de España: visiones del pasado y construcción de identidad, Barcelona, Crítica, 2013.
— y Gregorio DE LA FUENTE, El relato nacional: historia de la historia de España, Madrid, Taurus, 2017.
— y Gregorio DE LA FUENTE, Ferrán REQUEJO y Justo G. BERAMENDI, El nombre de la cosa: debate sobre el término nación y otros relacionados, Madrid, Centro de Estudios Constitucionales, 2005.
CABO ASEGUINOLAZA, Fernando, El lugar de la literatura española. Historia de la literatura española, 9, Barcelona, Crítica, 2015.
CHECA BELTRÁN, José, Demonio y modelo: dos visiones del legado español en la Francia ilustrada, Madrid, Casa de Velázquez, 2014.
COLOMER, Josep Maria, España: la historia de una frustración, Barcelona, Anagrama 2018.
FERNÁNDEZ ALBADALEJO, Pablo, Materia de España: cultura política e identidad en la España moderna, Madrid, Marcial Pons, 2007.
FEROS, Antonio, Antes de España: nación y raza en el mundo hispánico (1450-1820), trad. P. Sánchez León, Madrid, Marcial Pons, 2019.
FUCHS, Barbara, Una nación exótica: maurofilia y construcción de España en la temprana Edad Moderna, trad. H. Pons, Madrid, Polifemo, 2011.
FUSI, Juan Pablo, España: la evolución de la identidad nacional, Madrid, Temas de Hoy, 2000.
GROSBY, Steven, Nationalism: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2005.
JUARISTI, Jon, Vestigios de Babel: para una arqueología de los nacionalismos españoles, Madrid, Siglo XXI, 1992.
— El bucle melancólico: historias de nacionalismos vascos, Madrid, Espasa Calpe, 1999.
— «Espaciosa y triste»: ensayos sobre España, Madrid, Taurus, 2013.
PÉREZ-MAGALLÓN, Jesús, Soñando caminos: Moratín y la nación imaginada, Madrid, Calambur, 2019.
ROCA BAREA, María Elvira, Imperiofobia y leyenda negra, Madrid, Siruela, 2011.
SMITH, Anthony D., Nacionalismo y modernidad: un estudio crítico de las teorías recientes sobre naciones y nacionalismo, trad. S. Chaparro, Madrid, Istmo, 2000 [Nationalism and Modernism: A Critical Survey of Recent Theories of Nations and Nationalism, London, Routledge, 1998].
— «When is a Nation?», Geopolitics, 7.2, 2002, pp. 5-32.
— The Antiquity of Nations, Cambridge, Polity Press, 2004.

Two modalities: 1) the active participation of the student during lessons, and 2) a final oral exam of ca. 20’ (in Spanish).
A bonus (max. 2 points) on the final grade can be obtained with active and constant participation in the lessons and two cultural activities indicated by the professor.
The final exam is composed of three questions:
1) A question about a topic to discuss in detail.
2) A small text comment (from the studied titles).
3) A presentation on a free choice issue about national identity and literature (or cinema, music, etc.)

oral

The grade is determined by:
- Knowledge of the topics covered in class and in the manuals (range 10 points)
- Ability to critically analyze and discuss independently (range 10 points)
- Clarity and confidence in oral and written presentation (range 10 points)
The maximum score achievable is 30/30. Honors may be awarded in the event of excellent performance in all the items considered.

The course consists of theoretical and practical lessons (analysis of literary texts): furthermore the explanations, students will have to prepare the readings to discuss critically among the lessons.

Teaching language: Spanish.
The document «Calendario» in Moodle (online since the first lesson) provides the activities and readings of the course day-by day.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "International cooperation" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development