Cultures in Contemporary Spain

What does it mean to be a national of a country? And who is included in that definition? By analyzing the specific case of Spain, in this course we will discover that the answers to these questions are complex and multiple. We will study literature, film, music, and television shows from three culturally and linguistically distinct regions of Spain: Galicia, Catalonia, and the Basque Country. In our analyses of these works we will discuss the key components of national identity, including language, traditions, geography, historical memory, political repression and violence, and gender. In the final unit we will explore how immigration and Spain's relationship to the European Union are challenging traditional definitions of the nation.