Sites of Resistance & Memory: Theater, Performance, & Political Consciousness in Contemporary Spain
SPAN 261
Fall 2017
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
THEA 261 |
Compared to other literary genres, and given its essentially social (public) format, the theater is an especially vulnerable mode of cultural expression and, therefore, becomes the natural prey of both overt (institutionalized) and covert (social) systems of censorship. The tendency for authoritarian regimes to scrutinize stage practices is exemplified by the official (state) censorship that prevailed under Franco (1939--1975) and that prompted Spanish playwrights to develop subtle strategies for resisting authority in the name of democracy and for dialoguing with their society, as playwrights are wont to do, regarding the crucial social and political concerns of the day. The parliamentary regime born in aftermath of the dictator's death ushered in an era of fervor and experimentation unprecedented in recent Spanish cultural history, one in which playwrights have increasingly embraced the struggle against more covert (social) forms of censorship in attempting to craft a new social order for a new political context: a democratic mindset that will serve to solidify the foundations of the young democratic state. Our goal in this course is to trace these trends through a close reading of key works by the major Spanish playwrights active since 1939. We will focus on context, on how the theater, society, and politics are intertwined, through evaluating both works of dramatic literature and the place and meaning of the public, commercial, and alternative theater circuits where many of these plays were premiered. Our aim, broadly, is to understand the extent to which collective memory and national identity, as staged over the past three-quarters of a century, have become a battleground where Spaniards either seek or resist reconciliation with their shared history. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA RLAN |
| Course Format: Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (HISP)(RMST)(THEA) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 90% or above |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
- A representative selection of plays by major Spanish playwrights from 1950 to the present.
- Students will study the staging techniques of many the these plays via our online (streaming) collection of audiovisual recordings
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Examinations and Assignments:
- Three oral presentations and written reports (3 pages each).
- Short written exercises submitted via Moodle
- A final paper (5-7 pages) |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course is intended for students who have completed SPAN 221 with a B- or better. Students who have not done so should consult with the professor before preregistering. Readings, written assignments, and class discussions will be in Spanish. Only COL students may take this course CR/U. Reading and writing are the best ways for adult learners to improve their spoken Spanish. You will therefore improve all of your language skills in this course. |
| Instructor(s): Checa,Julio Enrique Times: ..T.R.. 02:50PM-04:10PM; Location: FISK404; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 18 | | SR major: 10 | JR major: 3 | | |
| Seats Available: 13 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 1 | JR non-major: 1 | SO: 2 | FR: 1 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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