Sports and Culture in Spain: A Sociological Approach

Catalog description

The syllabus of this course has been programmed from a sociological approach to sport, so that the students can gain an overall view of Spanish culture, of the Spanish way of life, throughout the analysis of geographical, historical, cultural and literary factors in the make-up of the nation in the present-day, and in its diverse manifestations. Additionally, it will examine various aspects of the relationship between sport and Spanish society. The importance of sports goes beyond its obvious political significance. Indeed, sociologists and anthropologists have recently studied the interaction between sports and social and cultural dimensions. Nowadays, there is no doubt about the integrative and unifying strength which sports exhibit. It is a phenomenon that carries out an enormous social impact, interests the majority of the population and is practiced by a large part of the population. The course begins with a consideration of general theoretical questions on the idiosyncrasy of every culture by comparing U.S. and Spanish cultural trends and stereotypes. After that, it will examine the different cultures within Spain: Castilian, Catalan, Basque and Galician; focusing mainly on language, nationality, and political implications. Following the midterm, we will focus on the analysis of specific sports such as soccer, traditional sports of Spain, basque pelota, the controversial bullfighting and all their different social and political implications.