Spanish Culture I
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course provides an overview on the history of Spanish culture in the 20th century, highlighting the major historical, political, social and economic developments in Spain. The goal is to contextualise events in a historical-diachronic perspective, thus enabling students to understand today's Spanish culture. The course analyses some fundamental moments of the 20th century and the cultural productions that characterised such moments, with a focus on the differences between cultural and linguistic identities within the country. The interrelations between culture, discourse strategies, social phenomena, mass communication, creation and consumption of cultural products are examined in light of the underlying ideology and the social, spatial, historical and political conditions that created such phenomena.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will be able to understand the most important changes that impacted on Spain's contemporary society, politics, economics and culture, and to illustrate the course contents with linguistic and factual correctness. Students will be able to rely on their knowledge of these phenomena to understand cultural products in different fields (literature, visual arts, music, fashion) and to recognise their fundamental elements, as well as any reference to the contexts in which these products were born. Moreover, students will be able to make comparisons with cultural phenomena from other European countries, in a historical-diachronic perspective.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Unit 1 - Spain in crisis: from the "disaster of '98" to the end of the Civil War
This unit provides a historical overview of Spain from 1898 to the outbreak of the Civil War and the establishment of Franco's regime, with specific insights into the end of the colonial empire, the Second Republic and the events that led to Francoism. Historical events will also be addressed through theoretical supports belonging to the field of cultural studies, such as Gramsci's concept of "crisis", imagology and studies on the imaginary, analysis of identity construction processes, and a brief introduction to gender issues and feminist studies that emerged in Spain in the 1930s.
Unit 2 - Places and spaces in which to forge an identity: from Franco's Spain to the Democratic Transition
The second part of the course will delve into the historical and cultural processes that shaped Spain's identity in the second half of the 20th century, up to the present day. The theoretical foundations for the study of the cultural productions that will be studied in the third unit will be provided, contextualising them through the framework of cultural studies that allows for an approach to visual studies, memory studies and the concept of heterotopia. The last part of the module will be dedicated to the delicate issue of the Basque conflict and the interaction between Basque identity and the Spanish state.
Unit 3 - Cultural production in Spain between the 20th and 21st centuries
This section of the course will offer a series of readings aimed at critically reflecting on the processes of constructing Spanish identities in the context of one or more heterotopic spaces, the latter defined in relation to the instruments of power of the 20th century. Through these readings, which include different textual genres such as fiction, theatre and graphic novels, students will have the opportunity to trace an interdisciplinary itinerary aimed at interpreting the historical and social phenomena that characterise contemporary Spain.
This unit provides a historical overview of Spain from 1898 to the outbreak of the Civil War and the establishment of Franco's regime, with specific insights into the end of the colonial empire, the Second Republic and the events that led to Francoism. Historical events will also be addressed through theoretical supports belonging to the field of cultural studies, such as Gramsci's concept of "crisis", imagology and studies on the imaginary, analysis of identity construction processes, and a brief introduction to gender issues and feminist studies that emerged in Spain in the 1930s.
Unit 2 - Places and spaces in which to forge an identity: from Franco's Spain to the Democratic Transition
The second part of the course will delve into the historical and cultural processes that shaped Spain's identity in the second half of the 20th century, up to the present day. The theoretical foundations for the study of the cultural productions that will be studied in the third unit will be provided, contextualising them through the framework of cultural studies that allows for an approach to visual studies, memory studies and the concept of heterotopia. The last part of the module will be dedicated to the delicate issue of the Basque conflict and the interaction between Basque identity and the Spanish state.
Unit 3 - Cultural production in Spain between the 20th and 21st centuries
This section of the course will offer a series of readings aimed at critically reflecting on the processes of constructing Spanish identities in the context of one or more heterotopic spaces, the latter defined in relation to the instruments of power of the 20th century. Through these readings, which include different textual genres such as fiction, theatre and graphic novels, students will have the opportunity to trace an interdisciplinary itinerary aimed at interpreting the historical and social phenomena that characterise contemporary Spain.
Prerequisites for admission
A good knowledge of Spanish is a desirable but not necessary prerequisite; classes will be held in Italian, but some study materials will only be available in Spanish.
Teaching methods
Face-to-face teaching (lectures); PowerPoint material; in-depth bibliographical articles and publications uploaded on MyAriel platform
Teaching Resources
Unit 1:
- Lecture notes and materials provided by the lecturer and made available on the MyAriel platform;
- Supplementary textbook (compulsory only for those who will not attend lectures): Gabriele Morelli, 'La cultura spagnola del Novecento. Storia, letteratura, arti, cinema' (Spanish culture in the 20th century. History, literature, arts, cinema), Rome, Carocci Editore, 2021.
Recommended supporting bibliography:
Miguel Martorell and Santos Juliá, 'Manual de Historia política y social de España (1808-2011)' (Manual of Political and Social History of Spain (1808-2011)), RBA Editores/UNED, 2012 (selected chapters made available by the lecturer).
Unit 2:
- Lecture notes and materials provided by the lecturer and made available on the MyAriel platform;
- J. A. González Sainz, "Ojos que no ven", Barcelona, Anagrama, 2010.
-One of the following two films, links to which will be provided by the lecturer:
a) Pedro Almodóvar: 'Todo sobre mi madre'
b) Emilio Martínez-Lázaro: 'Ocho apellidos vascos'
Recommended supporting bibliography:
- Giuliana di Febo y Santos Juliá, 'El franquismo. Una introducción', Editorial Crítica, 2005 (or subsequent editions).
- Mario de la Torre Espinosa, 'Almodóvar y la cultura: del tardofranquismo a la movida', Trea Ediciones, 2020.
- Marco Laurenzano, 'Paese basco e libertà. Storia contemporanea di Euskadi Ta Askatasuna: dalla fondazione di ETA alla riconsegna dei depositi di armi' (The Basque Country and freedom. Contemporary history of Euskadi Ta Askatasuna: from the founding of ETA to the surrender of weapons), Red Star Press, 2018.
- Edurne Portela, 'El eco de los disparos. Cultura y memoria de la violencia' (The echo of gunshots. Culture and memory of violence), Galaxia Gutenberg, 2016.
Unit 3:
· PowerPoint materials provided by the teacher and available on MyAriel.
· Graphic novel by Fidel Martínez and Jorge García, 'Cuerda de presas', Astiberri Ediciones, 2017 (available on MyAriel).
· One of the following plays:
a) José Sanchis Sinisterra, '¡Ay, Carmela!', Madrid, Cátedra, 1991 (available on MyAriel)
b) Laila Ripoll, 'Los niños perdidos', Oviedo, KRK Ediciones, 2010 (available on MyAriel)
· One of the following novels:
a) Dulce Chacón, 'La voz dormida', Madrid, Alfaguara, 2002.
b) Almudena Grandes, 'La madre de Frankenstein', Barcelona, Tusquets, 2020.
- Lecture notes and materials provided by the lecturer and made available on the MyAriel platform;
- Supplementary textbook (compulsory only for those who will not attend lectures): Gabriele Morelli, 'La cultura spagnola del Novecento. Storia, letteratura, arti, cinema' (Spanish culture in the 20th century. History, literature, arts, cinema), Rome, Carocci Editore, 2021.
Recommended supporting bibliography:
Miguel Martorell and Santos Juliá, 'Manual de Historia política y social de España (1808-2011)' (Manual of Political and Social History of Spain (1808-2011)), RBA Editores/UNED, 2012 (selected chapters made available by the lecturer).
Unit 2:
- Lecture notes and materials provided by the lecturer and made available on the MyAriel platform;
- J. A. González Sainz, "Ojos que no ven", Barcelona, Anagrama, 2010.
-One of the following two films, links to which will be provided by the lecturer:
a) Pedro Almodóvar: 'Todo sobre mi madre'
b) Emilio Martínez-Lázaro: 'Ocho apellidos vascos'
Recommended supporting bibliography:
- Giuliana di Febo y Santos Juliá, 'El franquismo. Una introducción', Editorial Crítica, 2005 (or subsequent editions).
- Mario de la Torre Espinosa, 'Almodóvar y la cultura: del tardofranquismo a la movida', Trea Ediciones, 2020.
- Marco Laurenzano, 'Paese basco e libertà. Storia contemporanea di Euskadi Ta Askatasuna: dalla fondazione di ETA alla riconsegna dei depositi di armi' (The Basque Country and freedom. Contemporary history of Euskadi Ta Askatasuna: from the founding of ETA to the surrender of weapons), Red Star Press, 2018.
- Edurne Portela, 'El eco de los disparos. Cultura y memoria de la violencia' (The echo of gunshots. Culture and memory of violence), Galaxia Gutenberg, 2016.
Unit 3:
· PowerPoint materials provided by the teacher and available on MyAriel.
· Graphic novel by Fidel Martínez and Jorge García, 'Cuerda de presas', Astiberri Ediciones, 2017 (available on MyAriel).
· One of the following plays:
a) José Sanchis Sinisterra, '¡Ay, Carmela!', Madrid, Cátedra, 1991 (available on MyAriel)
b) Laila Ripoll, 'Los niños perdidos', Oviedo, KRK Ediciones, 2010 (available on MyAriel)
· One of the following novels:
a) Dulce Chacón, 'La voz dormida', Madrid, Alfaguara, 2002.
b) Almudena Grandes, 'La madre de Frankenstein', Barcelona, Tusquets, 2020.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final exam will consist of a written test lasting a maximum of 2 hours, comprising closed-ended questions (multiple choice) for units 1 and 2 and open-ended questions for unit 3. The test will assess students' ability to describe the social and cultural phenomena addressed during the course and to illustrate how these issues are dealt with in the works and critical materials proposed. Students will also be required to demonstrate their ability to analyse the materials critically and with a good degree of autonomy, using appropriate terminology. The test will be held in Italian or Spanish, at the student's choice, and the mark will be calculated out of 30.
During the course, there will be a mid-term exam at the end of the second unit; this partial exam will be assessed and will contribute to the final grade; more specific information will be provided once the course has started.
The exam procedures for students with disabilities and/or SLDs must be agreed upon with the teachers, in agreement with the relevant office, and within 10 days of the exam date.
During the course, there will be a mid-term exam at the end of the second unit; this partial exam will be assessed and will contribute to the final grade; more specific information will be provided once the course has started.
The exam procedures for students with disabilities and/or SLDs must be agreed upon with the teachers, in agreement with the relevant office, and within 10 days of the exam date.
L-LIN/05 - SPANISH LITERATURE - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Calabrese Giuliana Antonella
Professor(s)