Granada, Spain - Course Descriptions - Spanish Civilization and Culture (HS)

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Summary

The syllabus of this course has been programmed from a comprehensive perspective so that the students will be able to gain an overall view of Spanish culture in its many diverse expressions. The aims of the course are to initiate and educate the students in those topics which are not found in the courses in the Hispanic Studies Course and special care has been taken to avoid any duplication.

Syllabus
1. Introduction to Spanish culture. Universality and particularity of a culture. Historical-geographical conditioners of the Hispanic character. Different conceptual definitions on the topic of what is Spanish: Sanchez Albornoz, Américo Castro, Laín Entralgo.
2. Cultural manifestations in the different autonomous regions. The problems between cultural unity and diversity. Spain as a State and the plural state of the autonomous regions.
3. Universally recognised Spanish human archetypes. La Celestina, Don Quijote Don Juan, Lazarillo, Carmen ... Diverse opinions on these characters: implication in what is popular and intellectual analyses. Stereotypes of the Hispanic culture.
4. The gypsies in Spain. Social problems: integration or change. Contributions from the gypsy ethnic group in its different manifestations to the Hispanic culture. Resistance to change and tradition of an oral culture.
5. Bullfighting and the Hispanic culture. The bullfighting celebration as a festivity and as a rite. Symbolic continuity and renovation of an ancestral tradition. Language and techniques of bullfighting. The influence of bullfights on Spanish creativity: literature, art, cinema, music ...
6. Spanish popular ‘fiesta’ throughout history. Specific characters of Spanish historical culture with respect to the ‘fiesta’. Plural integration and hierarchy in social celebrations. ‘Fiestas’ as conciliating different doctrines between the religious and the pagan. Daily time and festive time. Times of splendour and times of prohibition of celebrations.
7. ‘Fiesta’ in present-day Spain. Tradition and renovation in the contemporary festive cycle. Inter-relation between ‘fiestas’ and their political-social exploitation. Analysis of the most important celebrations: Carnival, Easter, Spring Celebrations, the ‘Fallas’ (the festival of San José in Valencia where huge figures are burnt), pilgrimages, fairs, the Night of San Juan, San Fermín, Moors and Christians, the Cascamorras, summer ‘fiestas’, the grape harvest, All Souls’ Day, Christmas ...
8. Flamenco as an expression of Spanish culture. Origin and development of flamenco. Purity and racial mix of a cultural manifestation. Inter-relation with other musical forms of the Spanish culture. Diversity and unity in the language and form of flamenco expression.
9. Popular music in the XX century. Diverse tendencies in the Spanish music of this century. Popular manifestations in the different regions. Interrelation between cult music and popular music. Spanish song: the ‘copla’ (popular song). Tradition and conservatism in Spanish music during the Dictatorship: nationalism and censorship of what was considered foreign. Song as a form of subjective and collective opposition. Musical freedom after Franco. Music and social politics.
10. Other expressions of Spanish culture. Craftsmanship. Popular architecture. Fashion and different kinds of corporal adornment. Sports.
11. Other expressions of Spanish culture.Collection of proverbs ands other forms of popular literature. Gastronomy. Popular justice. Popular beliefs: faith-healing, magic ...
12. Spanish cinema up until the Civil War. The arrival of cinematography in Spain. influences and autonomy with respect to the theatrical ambience. Traditionalism and renovation of the cinematographic subject matter. Avant-garde and genre of customs and manners in the era of the II Republic. The arrival of talking movies. The incident of the Civil War.
13. Spanish cinema up until the death of Franco. Exile in Spanish cinematography. Censorship and propaganda in the cinema in Spain under Franco’s regime. First attempts at modernisation: the constant struggle against censorship. International vision and national reality of the cinema until Franco’s death.
14. Contemporary Spanish cinema. Freedom of expression and the latest censorship in the democratic transition. The definitive end of censorship. International opening of Spanish cinema. The problems between creative freedom and subsidies. The struggle by the national market with international productions: free market or protectionism. Debate about the present-day Spanish cinematography.
15. Spanish sociability. Contemporary relationships in Spain: historical antecedents and current characteristics. Towards a culture of co-existence and tolerance. Political-social conventions in contemporary Spain and their cultural projection: central state, autonomous, provincial and municipal government.
16. Social-cultural means of expression in present-day Spain I. Cultural tradition as a means of present-day sociability: the family institution, infancy and old-age. Incidence of contemporary problems in the Spanish social model: religion, unemployment and the economic crises. Towards the state of well-being.
17. Social-cultural means of expression in present-day Spain II. The role of intellectuals in contemporary Spanish culture. Scientific research and social-cultural progress. Social-cultural institutions. Means of communication and their enormous social-cultural power.
18. Debate on Spanish culture at the end of the millennium. Stereotypes, clichés and renovation of present-day Spanish culture. Key questions for a debate about the nature of what is traditional and the beginning of a new millennium.

Activities
Each topic section of the syllabus will include practical material and activities, whether it be visits or trips to places of general interest, study and commentary on audio-visual material, bibliographical or recorded, all with the intention of maximising the active participation of the students.
So, it is important to use the collection of recorded material and videos in the Centre of Modern Languages, as well as the personal resources of the different teachers. Such examples are the Magna antología del folklore musical de España, the Magna antología del cante flamenco, the collection La canción española or La Edad de Oro del pop español. The video-library in the Centre has all the documentary and film material available for the students use.

Assessment
Pieces of work, whether individual or in group, on any topic in the syllabus assessed by the teacher will carry up to 25%. A final exam with a choice of questions will carry up to 50% of the final mark

Bibliography
LAÍN ENTRALGO, P., A qué llamamos España, Madrid, 1971.
CARO BAROJA, J., Los pueblos de España, Madrid, 1981.
GUBERN, R., (Co-ordinator) Historia del cine español, Madrid 1995.
RAMOS GASCÓN, A., (Editor), España hoy, Madrid, 1991.
VIDAL VENEYTO, J., (Editor), España a debate, Madrid, 1991.

Full Description

1. Introduction

The program of this course has been raised from a global perspective with the general mission that the student reaches a vision of Spanish culture in its diverse manifestations. The development of the program will be to emphasize, therefore, that underlying generic sense to the different subjects. The course will initiate the students to the thematic scopes that are not contemplated in the remaining fundamental disciplines that constitute the Hispanic Studies track, having itself paid special attention to avoid duplicities.

2. Program

1. Introduction to Spanish culture. Universality and particularitity of a culture. Historical-geographic conditions of the Hispanic idiosyncrasy. Different conceptual definitions on the subject of the Spanish: Sanchez Albornoz, Américo Castro, Laín Entralgo.
2. Cultural manifestations in different autonomies. Problematic between unit and cultural diversity. Spain as a plural state of autonomic regions.
3. Universally recognized Spanish human archetypes. La Celestina, Don Quixote, Don Juan, Lazarillo, Carmen... Diverse opinions about these characters: implication in popular and intellectual analysis. Stereotypes of the Hispanic culture.
4. Gypsies in Spain. Social problem: integration or alteration. Contributions of the gypsy ethnic group to the Spanish culture in its different manifestations. Do-nothing policy and tradition of an oral culture.
5. Tauromaquia and the Hispanic culture. Bullfighting as a celebration and rite. Symbolic persistences and renovation of an ancestral tradition. Language and techniques of tauromaquia. The influence of bulls in the Spanish creativity: Literature, art, cinema, music...
6. The Spanish popular celebration throughout history. Specific characters of the Spanish historical culture with respect to celebration. Plural integration and hierarchy in social celebrations. The celebrations as manifestation between the monk and the pagan. Daily time and festive time. Times of splendor and prohibition of the celebrations.
7. The celebration in present Spain. Tradition and renovation in the contemporary festive cycle. Interrelation between the celebrations and their politicosocial advantage. Analysis of the most important celebrations: Carnaval, Semana Santa, Celebraciones de Primavera, Fallas, romerías, ferias, Noche de San Juan, San Fermín, Moros y Cristianos, El Cascamorras, fiestas de verano, vendimia, difuntos, Navidad...
8. Flamenco as a manifestation of Spanish culture. Origin and history of flamenco. Purity and mestization of a cultural manifestation. Interrelation with other musical forms of Spanish culture. Diversity and unit in the language and forms of flamenco expression.
9. Pop music in the 20th-century. Diverse currents of the Spanish music of this century. Popular manifestations in the different regions. Interrelation between cultured and popular music. The Spanish song: The couplet. Tradition and conservatism in the Spanish music of the Dictatorship: Nationalism and censures before the outsider. The song as a form of subjective and collective opposition. Musical freedom after Franco. Music and social policy.
10. Other manifestations of the Spanish culture. I. Artesanía. Fashion and form of corporal adornment. Hobbies...
11. Other manifestations of the Spanish culture. II. Refranero and other forms of popular Literature. Gastronomy. Popular justice. Popular beliefs: curanderismo, magic...
12. Spanish cinema until the Civil War. The arrival from the cinematograph in Spain. Influences and autonomy with concerns to theater. Casticismo and thematic renovation of cinematography. Vanguard and costumbrismo at the time of the Second Republic. The arrival of the sonorous. The incidence of the Civil War.
13. Spanish cinema until the death of Franco. Exile in Spanish cinematography. Censorship and propaganda of the cinema in Franco's Spain. First attempts of modernization: the permanent fight against the censorship. International vision and national reality of the cinema until the death of Franco.
14. Contemporary Spanish cinema. The freedom of expression and the last censorships in the democratic transition. The definitive aim of the censorship. International opening of the Spanish cinema. Problematic between creative freedom and subventions. The fight by the national market with international productions: free market or protectionism. Debate on the present Spanish cinematographic reality.
15. Spanish sociability. The life of relation in contemporary Spain: historical antecedents and present characteristics. Towards a culture of coexistence and tolerance. The politicosocial forms in contemporary Spain and its cultural projection: central state, autonomic, provincial and municipal government.
16. Forms of sociocultural expression in present Spain I. The cultural tradition as a form of present sociability: the familiar institution, the childhood and the third age. Incidence of the contemporary problems in the Spanish social model: religion, unemployment and economic crises. Towards a state of well-being.
17. Forms of sociocultural expression in present Spain II. The paper of the intellectuals in the contemporary Spanish culture. Scientific research and sociocultural progress. The sociocultural institutions. The mass media and its enormous sociocultural power.
18. Debate on Spanish culture before the end of the millenium. Stereotypes, topics and renovation of present Spanish culture. Keys for a debate about traditional and the opening of a new millenium.

3. Activities

Each thematic block of the program includes the analysis of material and practical activities, or visits or excursions to centers of general interest, audio-visual, bibliographical or record document study and commentary; always tending to increase the active participation of the students.

As it is important to count on the collections of discs and videos of Modern Languages Center, as well as on the personal availabilities of the different professors. As example one could study the Magna antología del folklore de España, la Magna antología del cante flamenco, the collection La canción española o La Edad de Oro del pop español. As videographic reference the basement of the Center covers the different documentary and cinematographic sections perfectly.

4. Evaluation

The accomplishment of personal works or in group on any question related to the subjects of the program and corresponding advised by the professor, will be valued at 25%. The accomplishment of a final examination is contemplated in which the possibility will occur of choosing between several raised questions. This test will be valued at 50% of the final grade.

5. Bibliography

LAÍN ENTRALGO, P., A qué llamanos España, Madrid, 1971.

CARO BAROJA, J., Los pueblos de España, Madrid, 1981.

GUBERN, R. (Coord.) Historia del cine español, Madrid, 1995.

RAMOS GASCÓN, A. (Editor), España hoy, Madrid, 1991.

VIDAL VENEYTO, J., (Ed.), España a debate, Madrid, 1991.

Original Language Description

1. Introduction

El programa de este curso ha sido planteado desde una perspectiva globalizadora con el objetivo general de que el alumno alcance una visión de conjunto de la cultura española en sus diversas manifestaciones. El desarrollo del programa habrá de subrayar, por tanto, ese sentido genérico subyacente a los distintos temas. Se trata de iniciar y formar a los alumnos en los ámbitos temáticos que no se encuentran contemplados en las restantes disciplinas fundamentales que constituyen el Curso de Estudios Hispánicos, habiéndose prestado especial atención a evitar las duplicidades.

2. Programa

1. Introducción a la cultura española. Universalidad y particularidad de una cultura. Condicionantes histórico-geográficos de la idiosincrasia hispana. Distintas definiciones conceptuales sobre el tema de lo español: Sánchez Albornoz, Américo Castro, Laín Entralgo.
2. Manifestaciones culturales en las distintas autonomías. Problemática entre unidad y diversidad cultural. España como Estado plural de las regiones autonómicas.
3. Arquetipos humanos españoles reconocidos universalmente. La Celestina, Don Quijote, Don Juan, Lazarillo, Carmen... Diversas opiniones acerca de estos personajes: implicación en lo popular y análisis intelectuales. Estereotipos de la cultura hispana.
4. Los gitanos en España. Problemática social: integración o alteridad. Aportaciones de la etnia gitana a la cultura española en sus diferentes manifestaciones. Inmovilismo y tradición de una cultura oral.
5. La tauromaquia y la cultura hispana. La celebración taurina como fiesta y como rito. Pervivencias simbólicas y renovación de una tradición ancestral. Lenguaje y técnicas de la tauromaquia. La influencia de los toros en la creatividad española: literatura, arte, cine, música...
6. La fiesta popular española a lo largo de la historia. Caracteres específicos de la cultura histórica española con respecto a la fiesta. Integración plural y jerarquía en las celebraciones sociales. Las fiestas como manifestación sincrética entre lo religioso y lo pagano. Tiempo cotidiano y tiempo festivo. Tiempos de esplendor y de prohibición de las celebraciones.
7. La fiesta en la España actual. Tradición y renovación en el ciclo festivo contemporáneo. Interrelación entre las fiestas y su aprovechamiento político-social. Análisis de las celebraciones más importantes: Carnaval, Semana Santa, Celebraciones de Primavera, Fallas, romerías, ferias, Noche de San Juan, San Fermín, Moros y Cristianos, El Cascamorras, fiestas de verano, vendimia, difuntos, Navidad...
8. El flamenco como manifestación de la cultura española. Origen y desarollo del flamenco. Pureza y mestizaje de una manifestación cultural. Interrelación con otras formas musicales de la cultura española. Diversidad y unidad en el lenguaje y formas de expresión flamencas.
9. Música popular en el siglo XX. Diversas corrientes de la música española de este siglo. Manifestaciones populares en las distintas regiones. Interrelación entre música culta y popular. La canción española: la copla. Tradición y conservadurismo en la música española de la Dictadura: nacionalismo y censura ante lo foráneo. La canción como forma de oposición subjetiva y colectiva. La libertad musical después de Franco. Música y política social.
10. Otras manifestaciones de la cultura española. I. Artesanía Arquitectura popular. Moda y forma de adorno corporal. Deporte...
11. Otras manifestaciones de la cultura española. II. Refranero y otras formas de literatura popular. Gastronomía. Justicia popular. Creencias populares: curanderismo, magia...
12. El cine español hasta la Guerra Civil. La llegada del cinematógrafo a España. Influencias y autonomía con respecta al medio teatral. Casticismo y renovación de la temática cinematográfica. Vanguardia y costumbrismo en la época de la II República. La llegada del sonoro. La incidencia de la Guerra Civil.
13. El cine español hasta la muerte de Franco. El exilio en la cinematografía española. Censura y propaganda del cine en la España de Franco. Primeros intentos de modernización: la lucha permanente contra la censura. Visión internacional y realidad nacional del cine hasta la muerte de Franco.
14. El cine español contemporáneo. La libertad de expresión y las últimas censuras en la transición democrática. El fin definitivo de la censura. Apertura internacional del cine español. Problemática entre libertad creativa y subvenciones. La lucha por el mercado nacional con las producciones internacionales: libre mercado o proteccionismo. Debate sobre la realidad cinematográfica española actual.
15. La sociabilidad española. La vida de relación en la España contemporánea: antecedentes históricos y características actuales. Hacia una cultura de convivencia y tolerancia. Las formas político-sociales en la España contemporánea y su proyección cultural: estado central, gobierno autonómico, provincial y municipal.
16. Formas de expresión socio-cultural en la España actual I. La tradición cultural como forma de sociabilidad actual: la institución familiar, la infancia y la tercera edad. Incidencia de los problemas contemporáneos en el modelo social español: la religión, el desempleo y las crisis económicas. Hacia el estado del bienestar.
17. Formas de expresión socio-cultural en la España actual II. El papel de los intelectuales en la cultura española contemporánea. Investigación científica y progreso socio-cultural. Las instituciones socio-culturales. Los medios de comunicación y su enorme poder socio-cultural.
18. Debate sobre la cultura española ante el fin del milenio. Estereotipos, tópicos y renovación de la cultura española actual. Claves para un debate acerca de lo tradicional y la apertura hacía un nuevo milenio.

3. Actividades

Cada bloque temático del programa comprende al análisis de material y actividades prácticas, ya sean visitas o excursiones a centros de interés general, estudio y comentario de documentos audiovisuales, bibliográficos o discográficos; siempre tendentes a incrementar la participación activa de los alumnos.

Para ello es importante contar con las colecciones de discos y vídeos del Centro de Lenguas Modernas, así como con las disponibilidades personales de los distintos profesores. Como ejemplo pueden exponerse la Magna antología del folklore musical de España, la Magna antología del cante flamenco, la colección La canción española o La Edad de Oro del pop español. Como referencia videográfica los fondos del Centro cubren perfectamente los distintos apartados documentales y cinematográficos.

4. Evaluación

La realización de trabajos personales o en grupo sobre cualquier cuestión relacionada con los temas del programa y correspondientemente asesorados por el profesor, se valorará hasta un 25%. Se contempla la realización de un examen final en el que se dará la posibilidad de escoger entre varias cuestiones planteadas. Esta prueba adjudicará hasta un 50% de al nota final.

5. Bibliografía

LAÍN ENTRALGO, P., A qué llamanos España, Madrid, 1971.

CARO BAROJA, J., Los pueblos de España, Madrid, 1981.

GUBERN, R. (Coord.) Historia del cine español, Madrid, 1995.

RAMOS GASCÓN, A. (Editor), España hoy, Madrid, 1991.

VIDAL VENEYTO, J., (Ed.), España a debate, Madrid, 1991.