Appearing Acts: Visual Histories and Identity Construction Through Photography in Spain
SPAN 269
Spring 2022
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01
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In her reading of Plato's "Allegory of the Cave," Susan Sontag finds a close bond between photography and the world, our cave. Photography, she says, shows us a new visual code that constructs narratives that "alter and enlarge our notion of what is worth looking at," and in doing so can influence, guide, and condition our knowledge of the world. Keeping this in mind, when it comes to Spain, what kind of world does photography construct? How does the visual field influence and guide our knowledge of modern Spain? In this seminar, we will reflect on how photography has conceptualized social and national identities in Spain from the 19th century to the present, asking how images create, shape, and question the cultural and social archive. Through the examination of photographs, theories, and methods, we will draw a contextualized history of photography that will help us to consider its role in the interdisciplinary construction of Spanish identity. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA RLAN |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (HISP)(RMST) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 90% or above |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
In course pack: texts by Spanish art critics, such as Joan Fontcuberta, Jorge Ribalta, and María Rosón Villena. We will also read critics on Spanish translation, such as Susan Sontag, John Berger, and Roland Barthes. A selection of photographs will be provided via Moodle.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Active participation, weekly posts in Moodle, oral presentations, two shorter papers, and one longer research paper. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course is intended for students who have completed at least SPAN 221 or the equivalent with a B- or better. Students who have not done so should consult with the professor before pre-registering. Readings, written assignments, and class discussion will be in Spanish. Only COL students may take this course CR/U. |
| Instructor(s): Sendra Ferrer,Olga Times: .M.W... 02:50PM-04:10PM; Location: FISK122; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: 8 | JR major: 2 | | |
| Seats Available: 6 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 1 | JR non-major: 1 | SO: 2 | FR: 1 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
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