Surviving Memories: Resisting Dictatorships

One of the most serious phenomena of the 20th-century was the rise of totalitarian regimes in different nations. In Latin America and Spain there emerged new regimes that monopolized power, dominated society through a systematic mechanism of control and propaganda and also exercised unprecedented repression. In opposition to these regimes, voices that resisted opening up new margins of freedom arose. The aim of this course is to develop insight into the American and Spanish dictatorships through the study and discussion of writings and diverse reports from witnesses who were able to keep their memories alive. (1 unit)

Required texts: A selection of excerpts from the following authors: Mariano Constante, Los años rojos (Barcelona: Círculo de Lectores, 2004), Cristina Peri Rossi, El museo de los esfuerzos inútiles, en Lo mío es escribir: Siglo XX, ed. Anna Caballé (Barcelona: Círculo de Lectores, 2003); Victoria Kent, Cuatro años de mi vida, 1940-1944 (Barcelona: Bruguera, 1978); Ernesto Sábato, La resistencia (Barcelona: Seix Barral, 2000); Jorge Semprun, La escritura o la vida (Barcelona: Tusquets, 2002). Excerpts provided in electronic form at Middlebury.