Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Prerequisite: One of HISP-S 324, HISP-S 328, HISP-S 331, HISP-S 333, or HISP-S 334

This course studies the globalization of Spain by examining the links between culture, politics and the economy in the contemporary period, beginning with the Civil War (1936-1939) but especially focusing on the post-Franco years (1975 to present). We will analyze literary works, movies, and architectural icons to understand the cultural challenges and social tensions of the process of globalization—or maybe Americanization—of the country. We will relate this process to the economic re-structuring of today’s Spain in its three main modes: as a key destination for global tourism (including study abroad programs!); as a site of investments of multinational companies; and as destination for many non-European immigrants needed as cheap labor. This re-structuring has caused serious territorial disputes over state power, and we will pay particular attention to the movement for secession in Catalonia. The goal of the course is to explore how the various cultures of Spain express some of the triumphs and the contradictions of the global world.

This course carries CASE AH and CASE GCC distribution credit.

HISP-S 413      #31194    8:00A-9:15A     TR        GA 0011          Prof. Edgar Illas

Note: S411 is combined with S498 #31429