Building on the first-year module Understanding Hispanidad in a Global Context, this module will introduce you to the theoretically reflected and methodologically guided study of history, society and cultural production from a national and transnational perspective.

Over the two semesters, you will engage with concepts, theories and approaches that are central to Hispanic Studies and disciplines related to the study of Modern Languages. Teaching is divided into four themed blocks in which you will be introduced to concepts of Culture and Representation, Identity, Power, and Memory. Each block will be introduced by school-wide lectures before students split into their specific languages for more in-depth study in the national context. Some blocks may then take a more historical approach, others will emphasise critical analysis of different genres of cultural production.

Weekly learning activities will be structured around selected materials designed to allow close study and discussion of the topics explored, leading you to a theoretically and methodologically informed understanding of Hispanic history, society and culture.

Lectures, seminar and workshops will guide you in your exploration of texts and other cultural artefacts in Spanish. The materials examined in context typically include historical documents, literary texts, comics, and films.

1. Define a range of key concepts relevant to the study of Hispanic culture, history, and society within a transnational context;
2. Select and analyse key text-based and visual course materials;
3. Analyse how  the cultural artefacts/texts studied relate to one another and to their context of production;
4. Defend, both orally and in writing, a theoretically reflected position on the topics and materials studied;
5. Build a coherent, evidence-based argument drawing on relevant secondary literature

The module will be delivered mostly through in person lectures and interactive lecture workshops with some asynchronous introductory material to view at the beginning of each teaching block. There will be 2 hours of contact time on most weeks but the first week of each of the four teaching blocks will the pre-recorded material followed by one in person contact hour.

You will be expected to engage in substantial independent study outside the classroom. You will be guided in this respect by the learning materials provided and related reading lists.

• Close reading;
• Critical thinking;
• Basic research skills;
• Organisational skills;
• Study skills;
• Writing skills;
• Word-processing skills;
• Presentation skills;
• Self-awareness.

The method(s) of assessing the learning outcomes for this module are set out in the Assessment Table, which also contains the weightings of each assessment component.

OPPORTUNITY FOR RE-ASSESSMENT

You may be required to resit one or more of the assessments in this module if you fail the module. The Examination Board will advise you which assessments you need to resit during the August resit period. Resit assessments that are not supported by extenuating circumstances will be capped at the pass mark applicable to your programme.

MAPPING OF ASSESSMENTS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

Essay & video presentation assess ILO 1,2,3,4,5

At the School-wide, transnational level, students will explore the following topics:

• Culture
• Representation
• Identity
• Mainstream and Marginalised
• Power
• Resistance
• Memory

In the Hispanic context students will explore:

• Intertextuality
• Narrative representation of State repression
• Visual representation of gender and conflict
• Intersections of identity, e.g. race, ethnicity, gender, class, religion, sexual orientation
• Gender and identity in film
• LGBT identities in Cuba
• State crisis in Spain
• Repression, opposition and protest under dictatorship
• Social movements in Spain
• Cultural memory
• Colonialism and its heritage