Myth and Reality of the Spanish National Identities

This course will explore the combination of factors—historical, sociological, cultural, etc.—that have given rise, over time, to the senses of identity or belonging within the different Spanish collective nationalities: Spain as a national entity, the País Vasco, Cataluña, and Galicia. Since history (and our way of telling it) mingles with mythical histories at the heart of these identity questions, the course will explore both interpretative arenas, and their limitations. (1 unit)

Required texts: José Álvarez Junco, Mater Dolorosa (Madrid: Taurus, 2005); material in electronic form to be available for students upon arrival at Middlebury.