SPN 295-01 / Studies in Spanish Cultures / Fall ‘06

Course Description

This course examines Spain’s past and present through a consideration of its art, architecture, literature, and films. We will consider Spain’s plurality of cultures and languages that have been shaped by periods of tolerance and cultural brilliance, such as the co-existence of Arabs, Christians, and Jews in medieval times, as well as censorship and repression, brought about by the institution of the Inquisition, or during Franco’s Regime. We will also consider the evolution of the Spanish national identity from the 18th century onwards, and how this identity is now contested and challenged by regional separatist movements. Conducted in Spanish. Requirements: active participation in class discussion, an oral presentation, quizzes, short writing assignments, a midterm and a final. Prerequisites: SPN 285, placement exam, or permission of the instructor.

Required Materials

Vilar, Pierre. Historia de España. 1963. Barcelona: Grijalbo, 1981. (*)

Cantarino, Vicente. Civilización y cultura de España. 5th ed. New Jersey: Pearson, 2006. (*)

Readings on e-Reserve

Recommended Bibliography

Álvarez Junco, José. Mater Dolorosa. Madrid: Taurus, 2001. (*)

Balfour, Sebastian. The Politics of Contemporary Spain. London: Routledge, 2005. (*)

Birmingham, David. A Concise History of Portugal. Cambridge UP, 1993.

Brennan, Gerald. The Spanish Labyrinth. Cambridge UP, 1990.

Carr, Raymond, ed. Spain. A History. New York: Oxford UP, 2000.

Castro, Américo. The Spaniards; an Introduction to Their History. Berkeley: U of California             P, 1971.

Ganivet, Ángel. Idearium español. 1897. Madrid: Espasa Calpe, 1990.

Goytisolo, Juan. Crónicas sarracinas. Barcelona: Ruedo Ibérico, 1982.

Monroe, James. The Legacy of Muslim Spain. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1992.

---. Islam and the Arabs in Spanish Scholarship. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1970.

Onaindía, Mario. La construcción de la nación española: republicanismo y nacionalismo en             la Ilustración. Barcelona: Ediciones B, 2002.

Ortega y Gasset, José. 1922. España invertebrada. Bosquejo de algunos pensamientos             históricos. Madrid: Espasa Calpe, 2000.

Subirats, Eduardo, ed. Américo Castro y la revisión de la memoria. (El Islam en España).             Madrid: Ediciones Libertarias, 2003.

Torrecilla, Jesús. España exótica. La formación de la imagen española moderna. Boulder,             CO: Society for Spanish and Spanish American Studies, 2004.

Vicens Vives, Jaime. Aproximación a la historia de España. 1952. Barcelona: Editorial             Vicens-Vives, 1981.

Vincent, Mary. “Spain.” In Women, Gender, and Fascism in Europe, 1919-45. Ed. Kevin             Passmore. New Brunswick, N.J.: Manchester UP, 2003.

Vincent, Mary and R. A. Stradling. Cultural Atlas of Spain and Portugal. New York: Facts             on File, 1994.

Required Films (**)

Memoria de España, TVE (27 episodes)

El Cid

Lazarillo de Tormes

Carmen

VacasViridiana

La caza

Los Santos Inocentes

Soldados de Salamina

(*)       Available at the Bookstore

(**)     On reserve at the AV Center

Evaluation

Attendance and Prep	10 %
Participation, Quizzes, Assignments	40 %
Writing	20 %
Exam I	15 %
Exam II	15 %

As you can see, 50% of your final grade depends on your presence in class and on your active participation. It is therefore necessary to be on time and prepared (readings, films, media activities and assignments done).

Grading Scale

A	95-100	B	83-36	C	70-74
A-	90-94	B-	80-82	D	61-69
B+	87-89	C+	75-79	F	below 60

Class Requirements

1.  ATTENDANCE is required and expected. There are no distinctions between a justified and an unjustified absence, since the consequences are the same: a missed opportunity to participate in classroom activities and discussions. A perfect attendance record is the expectation in order to receive an A in this category. However, you are allowed a maximum of two absences during the semester. Use them wisely IF YOU MUST (my recommendation: reserve them for an illness). You will lose 5% points of your total percentage in this category for every absence in excess of 2.

2.  PREPARATION: You must endeavor in taking an active role during the 50 minutes of class and demonstrate knowledge of the assigned material. Your participation will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

A (100-90)	-a thorough preparation of the material
	-grammar and vocabulary appropriate for effective communication
	-active, frequent, and voluntary participation
B (89-80)	-good preparation of the material
	-some mistakes in grammar structures and vocabulary do not
	-interfere with effective communication
	-active participation may require some intervention
C (79-70)	-superficial preparation of the material
	-frequent mistakes in grammar structures and vocabulary weaken
	-effective communication
	-participates when called upon
D (69-60)	-not prepared
	-too many grammar mistakes interfere with communication
F (59-00)	-silence
	-absence

3.  WRITTEN papers must be handed in on the assigned day at the beginning of the class. No late work will be accepted. No make-up exams or quizzes. Contact instructor immediately upon experiencing an academic problem related to the class.

4.  ORAL presentations are due on the assigned day. Your fellow students will be counting on you that day. You will be expected to put as much effort into the oral assignment as into the written ones.

Course Outline (assignments will be posted weekly on PioneerWeb)

CCE:   Civilización y cultura de España

HE:      Historia de España

ME:     Memoria de España, DVDs

Ag 25	Introducción
Ag 28	La Península Ibérica. Geografía física y política
Ag 30	Paleolítico: Arte rupestre (Altamira). Iberia, los habitantes primitivos
Sep 1	Romanización de la Península: Hispania. Invasiones bárbaras
Sep 4	Visigodos. Rodrigo, último rey visigodo
Sep 6	Invasión árabe. Cultura hispanoárabe: Cristianos, judíos y musulmanes
Sep 8	Califato de Córdoba. Toledo. Camino de Santiago
Sep 11	Taifas. Reconquista. Las Órdenes militares
Sep 13	Granada, último reducto musulmán
Sep 15	Reinos de Castilla y Aragón
Sep 18	Arte medieval. Inicio de las literaturas
Sep 20	Pluralidad lingüística: lenguas romances. Castellanización de España
Sep 22	El Nuevo Mundo: Conquista y colonización
Sep 25	Examen I
Sep 27	España: Primera potencia imperial de Europa. Contrarreforma y arte
Sep 29	Humanismo y Renacimiento. La Inquisición
Oct 2	Siglo de Oro. Misticismo. Plateresco. Barroco
Oct 4	Realeza y paternalismo: Despotismo Ilustrado
Oct 6	De los Habsburgos a los Borbones. Afrancesamiento. Neoclasicismo
Oct 9	Reforma política y económica. Goya
Oct 11	Invasión napoleónica. Guerra de Independencia. Las Cortes de Cádiz
Oct 13	Fin del Imperio. Independencia de la América española
Oct 16-20	No hay clase.
Oct 23	Intentos constitucionalistas. Regresión absolutista
Oct 25	Guerras Carlistas. Desarrollo industrial
Oct 27	Burguesía y proletariado. Realismo y Naturalismo
Oct 30	Pensamiento liberal español: Krausismo
Nov 1	Imagen europea de España: romántica y castiza
Nov 3	Restauración y crisis de la monarquía
Nov 6	Últimas colonias españolas
Nov 8	La Belle époque europea. Modernismo
Nov 10	El problema de España. Generación del 98
Nov 13	Vanguardismo catalán. Gaudí
Nov 15	Surrealismo. Miró, Picasso, Dali
Nov 17	Dictadura de Primo de Rivera
Nov 20	Fracaso de la Segunda República
Nov 22	Guerra Civil Española
Nov 24	Acción de Gracias. No hay clase.
Nov 27	Dictadura Franquista (1939-1960)
Nov 29	Dictadura Franquista (1960-1975)
Dic 1	Transición a la democracia. La Constitución Española
Dic 4	Integración en la Unión Europea
Dic 6	La Movida. Nuevas actitudes y desafíos
Dic 8	Inmigración. Nacionalismos. Terrorismo
Dic 13	Examen final a las 9am. Aula pendiente de confirmar.