This course provides an overview of the history of Hispanic cultural identity(ies) from its constitution to the present day.
The conformation of a cultural identity involves a series of historical and cultural processes through which it takes shape, as a rule, in opposition to other cultural groups. Concerning Hispanic culture, some historical facts, widely treated by the literature, are capital to analyse its constitution and subsequent dispersion: the “reconquest” of the Peninsula after 700 years of Muslim rule, the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, the Spanish imperial expansion in America, the independence of the former colonies, the Francoism and the establishment of the autonomies in modern Spain and, among others, the recent migrations of Latin Americans to the United States.
The examination of these facts allows observing how the Hispanic cultural identity went through a process of constitution, exemplified in the epic poem Cantar de mio Cid, to one of dispersion expressed in the Latin American nationalisms, the growing claims of independence by the autonomies in Spain, and the recent constitution of a series of Latinx or Hispanic identities in the United States.
The lectures will emphasize basic features and lines of cultural negotiation regarding the different historical processes.
The seminars will be based on cultural expressions, such as songs, films, paintings and literary texts, and historical sources, such as speeches, public cultural polemics, and statements. It is assumed that students actively participate in the seminars to practice the ability to analyse and draw own conclusions.