This module is not currently running in 2024 to 2025.
This module focuses on the cultural history of the Hispanic world, such as Barcelona, Havana, Madrid, Buenos Aires, Seville, Lima and Mexico City. Many of the key events and movements of the past century are intimately linked to these two cities, from the collapse of the Spanish Empire and the birth of the new the Latin-American republics, the emergence of nationalism, the development of alternative modes of self-government and their engagement with modernity. Changes and continuities in the political, social and physical topography of these cities will be traced by studying representations of them in a range of texts and films from the mid twentieth to the early twenty-first century. Alongside feature films and prose genres such as short stories and reportage, the module will also consider theoretical texts on the city and the contribution of urban life to modern Hispanic culture. Central themes are the interplay of the individual and the collective, urban anonymity and liberation versus alienation and uniformity, multiculturalism and migration.
Total Contact Hours: 20
Total Private Study Hours: 130
Total Study Hours: 150
Main assessment methods
• ePortfolio (1,000 words) – 30%
• Essay 2 (2,500 words) – 50%
• Presentation (15 minutes) – 20%
Reassessment methods
• 100% Coursework (3,000 words)
The University is committed to ensuring that core reading materials are in accessible electronic format in line with the Kent Inclusive Practices. The most up to date reading list for each module can be found on the university's reading list pages: https://kent.rl.talis.com/index.html
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
1 Demonstrate a detailed and critical knowledge and understanding of 20th and 21st century recent cultural and political history of two major Hispanic cities.
2 Demonstrate an advanced competence in applying this knowledge within new and differing contexts (e.g. as regards the city as a lieu de mémoire and the relationship between representations of the city to current debates about multiculturalism, migration and national identity).
3 Demonstrate a systematic knowledge of selected twentieth-century prose works and films that represent the city and city life in the cities chosen.
4 Show critical understanding of the ways in which urban development and theories of urbanity have contributed to modern Hispanic culture, in particular to literature and film.
5 Demonstrate independent learning skills by being able to make use of a wide range of high-level resources, including up-to-date research in peer-reviewed journals, information technology, relevant subject bibliographies and other primary and secondary sources relating to the Hispanic city.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
1 analyse and demonstrate cogent understanding of central texts and, subsequently, assembled and presented arguments based on this analysis.
2 devise and sustain arguments and to solve problems by engaging critically with recent critical ideas, methodologies and approaches.
3 demonstrate the acquisition of an independent learning style when engaging with the course content, for example in the preparation and presentation of coursework, in carrying out independent research, in compiling bibliographies and other lists of research materials, by showing the ability to reflect on their own learning and by mediating complex arguments in written form.
4 present the outcomes of the research and learning in a form appreciable by both specialist and non-specialist audiences in a variety of settings and contexts.
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