- Transatlantic Myth Busters: The Black Legend

Catalog description

Was Inquisition an evil machine created by the Spaniards to terrorize the world? Did the Spanish Empire rule over half of the world through fear and punishment? Is Spain a barbaric country? Students will address these and other questions that arose during the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe to analyze the expansion of the Spanish Empire. In this class, we will study different power relationships between Spain and Latin America and, Spain and Europe. Through historical, literary and cultural texts students will analyze the myth known as "The Black Legend" and learn about different social and political structures and discursive strategies that sustain power. Students will also explore how these have been transformed and survive nowadays.