SPAN 316: Cultures and Civilizations of Spain
Course Description:
Study of the development of Spanish culture & civilization through geography, religion, sociology, and the arts of the Iberian Peninsula with special reference to the ways of thinking and cultural products.
Study of the development of Spanish culture & civilization through geography, religion, sociology, and the arts of the Iberian Peninsula with special reference to the ways of thinking and cultural products.
MLO Met:
MLO 3: Literary and Cultural Knowledge
MLO 3: Literary and Cultural Knowledge
Course Narrative:
I took the Spanish History and Civilization course to fulfill the 3rd Major Learning Outcome (MLO), which requires students to develop an understanding of thinking, behavioral practices, and cultural products of Hispanic societies. As a result of taking this course I have learned the history of Spain- shifts of a government heavily influenced by religion to a government that does not have great religious influence- and culture, including art, poetry, and celebrations. As part of the course we completed assignments that required us to further analyze the content discussed in class. For example, at the end of each chapter we had to turn in comprehension questions relating to that chapter. In addition to the textbook used in class we also watched films that allowed us to further understand the culture of certain time periods. For example, one of the films we watched was Welcome Mr. Marshall! After watching this film, we were assigned comprehension questions that allowed me to understand that after the Spanish Civil War the Spaniards were desperate for help to improve their living conditions. In the Spanish town of Villar Campo del Rio, residents were willing to give the little they had to fix their town and impress the Americans as they visited Spain. By making their town presentable, the Spaniards hoped the Americans would see the conditions of Spain and grant benefits under the Marshall Plan. In addition to learning about the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War through the film Welcome Mr. Marshall, I was also able to further understand the historical context and social practices of the film Pan’s Labyrinth, a film viewed in SPAN 325.
Although this course provided a holistic view of Spain’s history, I would like to continue to explore the influence that Spain has on Latin American countries- more specifically about the influence in how women are portrayed and treated. As a result of this course, I hope to apply what I have learned in future courses.
I took the Spanish History and Civilization course to fulfill the 3rd Major Learning Outcome (MLO), which requires students to develop an understanding of thinking, behavioral practices, and cultural products of Hispanic societies. As a result of taking this course I have learned the history of Spain- shifts of a government heavily influenced by religion to a government that does not have great religious influence- and culture, including art, poetry, and celebrations. As part of the course we completed assignments that required us to further analyze the content discussed in class. For example, at the end of each chapter we had to turn in comprehension questions relating to that chapter. In addition to the textbook used in class we also watched films that allowed us to further understand the culture of certain time periods. For example, one of the films we watched was Welcome Mr. Marshall! After watching this film, we were assigned comprehension questions that allowed me to understand that after the Spanish Civil War the Spaniards were desperate for help to improve their living conditions. In the Spanish town of Villar Campo del Rio, residents were willing to give the little they had to fix their town and impress the Americans as they visited Spain. By making their town presentable, the Spaniards hoped the Americans would see the conditions of Spain and grant benefits under the Marshall Plan. In addition to learning about the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War through the film Welcome Mr. Marshall, I was also able to further understand the historical context and social practices of the film Pan’s Labyrinth, a film viewed in SPAN 325.
Although this course provided a holistic view of Spain’s history, I would like to continue to explore the influence that Spain has on Latin American countries- more specifically about the influence in how women are portrayed and treated. As a result of this course, I hope to apply what I have learned in future courses.
Relevant Course Work: