European Studies 426 - Spanish Anti/fascists

(Offered as SPAN 426 and EUST 426) Spanish antifascist heroes, saboteurs and spies have driven the longest antifascist resistance in Europe. Spaniards have been at the vanguard of antifascism from the time of the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s, to the fight against Nazi genocide during World War II, to opposition to the populist Vox party of the twenty-first century. This course will consider the men and women of diverse left-wing political beliefs who risked their lives to put down fascist movements in Spain and throughout Europe. We will also examine the roots of Spanish fascism and its continued appeal in contemporary society. Through an examination of primary sources such as memoirs, photographs and newspapers as well as contemporary film, graphic novel, television and social media, we will explore resistance tactics, international espionage and antifascism through the lens of gender, race, misinformation and the long-lasting legal and social implications of attempts to thwart authoritarian oppression. Using digital archives, students will design and carry out a semester-long research project on anti/fascism. Conducted in Spanish.

Requisite Spanish 301 or permission of instructor. Fall semester: Professor Brenneis.

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Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Emphasis on critical reading, written work, independent research, group work and dialogue in Spanish. Assessments are based on short written archival reports, in-class participation, participation in Moodle discussion forums and the final research paper.