Outline

Overview

Spanish society has changed dramatically over the last half century. The restrictions on personal freedoms that were part of the Franco regime have been lifted to reveal a liberal, tolerant European society that nevertheless still shows some elements of its conservative heritage. This unit (taught in English) explores contemporary Spanish society and culture to show the reasons for the changes, and their effects. The areas under discussion will be family, sexuality and gender; class, money and consumerism; and mass/popular culture.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Spanish and Latin American Studies
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 1000 level in Spanish and Latin American Studies or SPAN3001
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Luis Angosto Ferrandez, luis.angosto-ferrandez@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Ruben Perez-Hidalgo, ruben.perez-hidalgo@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 2 September 2024

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Research essay Essay	45%	Formal exam period Due date: 11 Nov 2024 at 23:59	2500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Oral presentation and research memorandum Oral presentation plus written memorandum	20%	Multiple weeks Due date: 04 Jun 2024 at 15:23	800 words
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Active participation based on active engagement with course contents	10%	Ongoing	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Mid-semester short answer Prepare to answer 2 questions out of 6 optional questions	12.5%	Week 07 Due date: 13 Sep 2024 at 23:59	600wds
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Final-semester short answer Prepare to answer 2 questions out of 6 optional questions	12.5%	Week 12 Due date: 25 Oct 2024 at 23:59	600wds
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to course Discussion on general knowledge about Spain	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 02	In society as in football? Exploring continuity and change in Spanish society through sports	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	Modernisation, markets, and politics in Spain (I): Housing	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Modernisation, markets, and politics in Spain (II): Transport infrastructure	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	Modernisation, markets, and politics in Spain (III): Ruralities	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	“Being politico” in Spain (I): exploring “political culture” and civic attitudes	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	“Being politico” in Spain (II): exploring “political culture” and civic attitudes	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Memory and history in Spanish popular culture	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	A new historical rebirth: 15M in Spanish popular culture	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	The popular and the populist: Podemos and the media	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 11	Online Spanish Popular Culture from the Left: Feminism	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	Online Spanish Popular Culture from the Right: Vox	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 13	Review and preparation for end end-of-semester assessment	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance:this unit replicates the face to face format in a video conference mode via Zoom. You are required to attend both lectures and tutorials.
Lecture recording: Lectures will be interactive and will complement the tutorial session. While lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS, however, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Week

Class discussion

Familiarize with UOS before class

Introduction to course

Discussion on general knowledge about Spain

In society as in football? Exploring continuity and change in Spanish society through sports

Mandatory reading:

- Vaczi, M. (2014). Death in the Cathedral: mortuary practices in

sport stadiums. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 20(4),

635-652.

Complementary reading:

- Tuñón, J., & Brey, E. (2012). Sports and Politics in Spain – Football and Nationalist Attitudes within the Basque Country and Catalonia. European Journal for Sport and Society, 9(1–2), 7–32.

Modernisation, markets, and politics in Spain (I): Housing

Mandatory reading:

- Palomera, J. (2014) Reciprocity, commodification, and poverty in

the era of financialization. Current Anthropology, 55(S9): 105-115.

Complementary reading:

- Sabaté, I. (2016). The Spanish mortgage crisis and the re-emergence of moral economies in uncertain times. History and

anthropology, 27(1), 107-120.

Modernisation, markets, and politics in Spain (II): Transport infrastructure

Mandatory reading:

- Buier, N. (2022). Spanish High-Speed Rail: Infrastructural Development and Dominance Without Hegemony. Capitalism Nature Socialism, 33(4), 56–74.

Complementary reading:

- Swyngedouw, E. (2014). 'Not a drop of water...': State, modernity

and the production of nature in Spain, 1898-2010. Environment and

History, 20(1), 67-92.

Modernisation, markets, and politics in Spain (III): Ruralities

Mandatory reading:

- Franquesa, J. (2019). The vanishing exception: republican and reactionary specters of populism in rural Spain. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 46(3), 537–560.

Complementary reading:

- Cortes-Vazquez, J. A. (2014). A natural life: neo-rurals and the power of everyday practices in protected areas. Journal of Political Ecology, 21(1), 493-515.

“Being politico” in Spain (I): exploring “political culture” and civic attitudes

Mandatory reading:

- Narotzky, Susana and Gavin Smith (2002): "Being político " in Spain: An Ethnographic Account of Memories, Silences and Public Politics. History & Memory, 14(1/2): 189-228.

Complementary reading:

- Ferrándiz, F. (2013). Exhuming the defeated: Civil War mass graves in 21st‐century Spain. American Ethnologist, 40(1), 38-54.

“Being politico” in Spain (II): exploring “political culture” and civic attitudes

Mandatory reading:

- Ferrándiz, Francisco (2022). Franco Is Back: The Contested Reemergence of a Fascist Moral Exemplar. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 64(1): 208-237.

Complementary reading:

- Rubin, J. S. (2018) How Francisco Franco governs from beyond the grave: An infrastructural approach to memory politics in contemporary Spain. American Ethnologist, 45(2): 214-227.

Memory and history in Spanish popular culture

Watch Guillermo Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth (Kanopy)