Spanish Culture I
A.Y. 2019/2020
Learning objectives
The course aims at perfecting and refining skills acquired during the bachelor, providing a wide and solid knowledge concerning Spanish contemporary culture, examining in depth its historical and cultural roots and the long-lasting phenomena that have influenced the evolution of the country. The main political, social, economical and cultural changes in Spain will be analyzed through the circumstantial examination of some historical moments and correlated cultural productions. The relationships among culture, discursive strategies, social phenomena, mass communication, production and consumption of cultural products (especially pertaining literary, visual and musical disciplines) will be studied using a humanities approach and an interdisciplinary angle. To reach this goal and facilitate the understanding of topics presented during the course, appropriate semiotic and linguistic tools will be provided.
Expected learning outcomes
The course aims at further perfecting, compared to the bachelor, the ability to understand the most significant cultural changes that have characterized contemporary Spain, taking also into account its relationship with the past, whose reading and interpretation allows to understand the present and contributes at entering critically and projectually into the future. Students will acquire the necessary tools to deal with the topic under study from an interdisciplinary perspective. Moreover, they will be able to communicate with command, linguistically and content-wise, the knowledge they acquired during the course. Finally, students will gain a particular methodological expertise concerning cultural studies; they will be able to gather, analyze and use the best critical bibliography and, if needed, perform research on the subject.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Course title: Comer a la española. Reflejos en la literatura y en el arte. (Eating like a Spaniard. Reflections in literature and art)
Unit 1: Historia de la gastronomía española. (History of Spanish gastronomy)
Historical presentation of Spanish food resources (agriculture, breeding, fishing, etc.) which determined the physiognomy of Spanish gastronomy. Study of kitchen utensils and containers with their terminology. Analysis of selected recipes, collected in two files (Recetas: Primera parte, Recetas: Segunda parte), uploaded to ARIEL; these recipes must be considered in relation to the history of Spanish gastronomy, paying special attention to ingredients and techniques.
Unit 2: Reflejos artísticos y literarios. (Artistic and literary reflections)
Analysis of artworks and literary texts in which the presence of food is remarkably significant
Unit 1: Historia de la gastronomía española. (History of Spanish gastronomy)
Historical presentation of Spanish food resources (agriculture, breeding, fishing, etc.) which determined the physiognomy of Spanish gastronomy. Study of kitchen utensils and containers with their terminology. Analysis of selected recipes, collected in two files (Recetas: Primera parte, Recetas: Segunda parte), uploaded to ARIEL; these recipes must be considered in relation to the history of Spanish gastronomy, paying special attention to ingredients and techniques.
Unit 2: Reflejos artísticos y literarios. (Artistic and literary reflections)
Analysis of artworks and literary texts in which the presence of food is remarkably significant
Prerequisites for admission
The prerequisites for admission are essentially two: 1) knowledge of the Spanish language, since study materials, course, and exams will all be in Spanish; 2) knowledge of Spanish culture at a bachelor course level.
To further strengthen previous knowledge, an essential biography is given:
Sebastián Quesada Marco, España.Siglo XXI, Madrid, Edelsa, 2016.
Sebastián Quesada Marco, España. Cultura y civilización, Parolas Languages, 2019 (e-book).
Maximiano Cortés Moreno, Guía de usos y costumbres de España, Madrid, Edelsa, last edition
Juan Pablo Fusi, Historia mínima de España, Madrid, Colegio de México-Turner, 2012.
Prerequisites for non-attending students
See Prerequisites for admission
To further strengthen previous knowledge, an essential biography is given:
Sebastián Quesada Marco, España.Siglo XXI, Madrid, Edelsa, 2016.
Sebastián Quesada Marco, España. Cultura y civilización, Parolas Languages, 2019 (e-book).
Maximiano Cortés Moreno, Guía de usos y costumbres de España, Madrid, Edelsa, last edition
Juan Pablo Fusi, Historia mínima de España, Madrid, Colegio de México-Turner, 2012.
Prerequisites for non-attending students
See Prerequisites for admission
Teaching methods
Teaching will be delivered through class lectures, in which a historical-cultural framework is initially established, allowing for the appropriate and direct analysis in class of different historical, economic, cultural, anthropological, literary and artistic materials, available on the ARIEL platform as well.
Teaching Resources
Unit 1
Attending students
· Lecture notes
· To integrate notes, the following text can be consulted: Rosa Tovar - Monique Fuller, 3000 años de cocina española, Prólogo de Ferrán Adriá, Madrid, Espasa, 2006 (English translation: https://www.bookdepository.com/Traditional-Flavors-Spain-Rosa-Tovar/9780061734809).
· Recipes: Part I and II.
· Integrative materials: maps, visual dictionary, a document detailing trade exchanges between Europe and the Americas, reproductions of covers of representative cookbooks (ARIEL).
Non-attending students
· Rosa Tovar - Monique Fuller, 3000 años de cocina española, Prólogo de Ferrán Adriá, Madrid, Espasa, 2006 (English translation https://www.bookdepository.com/Traditional-Flavors-Spain-Rosa-Tovar/9780061734809).
· Recipes: Part I and II.
· Integrative materials: maps, visual dictionary, a document detailing trade exchanges between Europe and the Americas, reproductions of covers of representative cookbooks (ARIEL).
Unit 2
Attending students
· Lecture notes
A) Regarding the artistic representation of food, students must observe and analyse artwork collected in the following files, uploaded to ARIEL: 1. 1. Representación de la comida en el arte-1; 2. Representación de la comida en el arte-2-Tacuinum sanitatis; 3. Italia-Países Bajos; 4. Bodegones españoles; 5. Los otros bodegones; 6. Velázquez y Murillo. 7. Bodegones españoles de los siglos XX y XXI. 8. El arte inspira al chef. Students must draw a relationship between food in the artworks, the time at which the artwork was made and information contained in the history of Spanish gastronomy.
- Reading: Beatriz Hernán-Gómez Prieto, Bodegón: el nacimiento y consolidación de un término artístico (photocopies available at the library).
B) Regarding the literary part, students must read texts number 2 of the first and the second part of La gastronomía en la literatura (ARIEL), and choose another text from each of the two parts (4 texts in total). Additionally, students must read one of the two following chapters:
-Lorenzo Díaz, La cocina del Barroco. La gastronomía del Siglo de Oro en Lope, Cervantes y Quevedo, Madrid, Alianza Editorial, 2003, chapter 1, La cocina del Siglo de Oro, pp. 19-96 (photocopies available at the library);
- Vv.Aa., El sabor de la eñe. Glosario de gastronomía y literatura, Madrid, Instituto Cervantes, 2012, chapter Fogón de lectura, pp. 147-188 (photocopies available at the library).
Non-attending students
A) Regarding the artistic representation of food, students must observe and analyse artwork collected in the following files, uploaded to ARIEL: 1. 1. Representación de la comida en el arte-1; 2. Representación de la comida en el arte-2-Tacuinum sanitatis; 3. Italia-Países Bajos; 4. Bodegones españoles; 5. Los otros bodegones; 6. Velázquez y Murillo. 7. Bodegones españoles de los siglos XX y XXI. 8. El arte inspira al chef. Students must draw a relationship between food in the artworks, the time at which the artwork was made and information contained in the history of Spanish gastronomy.
- Reading: Beatriz Hernán-Gómez Prieto, Bodegón: el nacimiento y consolidación de un término artístico (photocopies available at the library).
B) Regarding the literary part, students must read all texts in La gastronomía en la literatura (ARIEL). Additionally, students must read the two following chapters:
-Lorenzo Díaz, La cocina del Barroco. La gastronomía del Siglo de Oro en Lope, Cervantes y Quevedo, Madrid, Alianza Editorial, 2003, chapter 1, La cocina del Siglo de Oro, pp. 19-96 (photocopies available at the library);
- Vv.Aa., El sabor de la eñe. Glosario de gastronomía y literatura, Madrid, Instituto Cervantes, 2012, chapter Fogón de lectura, pp. 147-188 (photocopies available at the library).
Attending students
· Lecture notes
· To integrate notes, the following text can be consulted: Rosa Tovar - Monique Fuller, 3000 años de cocina española, Prólogo de Ferrán Adriá, Madrid, Espasa, 2006 (English translation: https://www.bookdepository.com/Traditional-Flavors-Spain-Rosa-Tovar/9780061734809).
· Recipes: Part I and II.
· Integrative materials: maps, visual dictionary, a document detailing trade exchanges between Europe and the Americas, reproductions of covers of representative cookbooks (ARIEL).
Non-attending students
· Rosa Tovar - Monique Fuller, 3000 años de cocina española, Prólogo de Ferrán Adriá, Madrid, Espasa, 2006 (English translation https://www.bookdepository.com/Traditional-Flavors-Spain-Rosa-Tovar/9780061734809).
· Recipes: Part I and II.
· Integrative materials: maps, visual dictionary, a document detailing trade exchanges between Europe and the Americas, reproductions of covers of representative cookbooks (ARIEL).
Unit 2
Attending students
· Lecture notes
A) Regarding the artistic representation of food, students must observe and analyse artwork collected in the following files, uploaded to ARIEL: 1. 1. Representación de la comida en el arte-1; 2. Representación de la comida en el arte-2-Tacuinum sanitatis; 3. Italia-Países Bajos; 4. Bodegones españoles; 5. Los otros bodegones; 6. Velázquez y Murillo. 7. Bodegones españoles de los siglos XX y XXI. 8. El arte inspira al chef. Students must draw a relationship between food in the artworks, the time at which the artwork was made and information contained in the history of Spanish gastronomy.
- Reading: Beatriz Hernán-Gómez Prieto, Bodegón: el nacimiento y consolidación de un término artístico (photocopies available at the library).
B) Regarding the literary part, students must read texts number 2 of the first and the second part of La gastronomía en la literatura (ARIEL), and choose another text from each of the two parts (4 texts in total). Additionally, students must read one of the two following chapters:
-Lorenzo Díaz, La cocina del Barroco. La gastronomía del Siglo de Oro en Lope, Cervantes y Quevedo, Madrid, Alianza Editorial, 2003, chapter 1, La cocina del Siglo de Oro, pp. 19-96 (photocopies available at the library);
- Vv.Aa., El sabor de la eñe. Glosario de gastronomía y literatura, Madrid, Instituto Cervantes, 2012, chapter Fogón de lectura, pp. 147-188 (photocopies available at the library).
Non-attending students
A) Regarding the artistic representation of food, students must observe and analyse artwork collected in the following files, uploaded to ARIEL: 1. 1. Representación de la comida en el arte-1; 2. Representación de la comida en el arte-2-Tacuinum sanitatis; 3. Italia-Países Bajos; 4. Bodegones españoles; 5. Los otros bodegones; 6. Velázquez y Murillo. 7. Bodegones españoles de los siglos XX y XXI. 8. El arte inspira al chef. Students must draw a relationship between food in the artworks, the time at which the artwork was made and information contained in the history of Spanish gastronomy.
- Reading: Beatriz Hernán-Gómez Prieto, Bodegón: el nacimiento y consolidación de un término artístico (photocopies available at the library).
B) Regarding the literary part, students must read all texts in La gastronomía en la literatura (ARIEL). Additionally, students must read the two following chapters:
-Lorenzo Díaz, La cocina del Barroco. La gastronomía del Siglo de Oro en Lope, Cervantes y Quevedo, Madrid, Alianza Editorial, 2003, chapter 1, La cocina del Siglo de Oro, pp. 19-96 (photocopies available at the library);
- Vv.Aa., El sabor de la eñe. Glosario de gastronomía y literatura, Madrid, Instituto Cervantes, 2012, chapter Fogón de lectura, pp. 147-188 (photocopies available at the library).
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam is a written test, at the end of the course, on topics covered in Unit 1, and an oral exam in Spanish on topics covered in Unit 2, aimed at ascertaining the students' knowledge of the main themes of the course and, especially, their fluency in the use of methodological tools to interpret cultural-historical periods that were examined. Students who did not pass or did not take the written test, will be tested on the syllabus of Unit 1 as well at the oral exam. These exams will be assessed especially concerning the ability to present learning outcomes through a communicative and argumentative discourse that can transversally integrate socio-political, historical, economic and cultural notions acquired during the course.
Teaching Unit 1
L-LIN/05 - SPANISH LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Teaching Unit 2
L-LIN/05 - SPANISH LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours