By the end of this course, the student will be able to:

• Explain and apply the concept of the border to the study of art and culture in the transatlantic Hispanic world, using the theoretical approaches provided;

• Analyze and critically assess the representation of the border in media, art, and culture in the transatlantic Hispanic world from an interdisciplinary perspective;

• Recognize and evaluate the role of the border in the production and reception of media, art, and culture using the conceptual and theoretical frameworks provided, from an intersectional perspective;

• Apply theoretical knowledge as well as close-reading skills to the analysis of various representations of the border in Hispanic literature, art and popular culture.

Borders are at the core of many discussions in our contemporary world. At first sight, the discussion about the Mexican-American border comes to our mind, which has led to heated debates in the Western Hemisphere. The picture of the Salvadorian father Oscar Martínez with his 23-month-old daughter Valeria has gone viral and has been shared massively on social media. At the same time, the tragedy taking place in the Mediterranean Sea, particularly concerning the border between Turkey and Greece, is also very present in the European Press. In 2021, the border between Spain and Morocco resurfaced in the media, as a migration 'crisis' is taking place on the Canary Islands. 

However, the complex border between Spain and Morocco continues to be less visible. To what extent are we familiar for example with the border fences and problems in Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s autonomous cities on Moroccan territory? How come we have such a different knowledge of these borders? What are the border policies in these different transatlantic regions, and what are the similarities and the differences in cultural representation? How is the representation of the border related to issues such as class, race, or gender? What aesthetic, political and ideological mechanisms are functioning behind these representations? 

Addressing these and other questions, this course engages with literature, music, film, media, and visual arts, and reflects on some of the key cultural theories and debates surrounding the relationship between border, migration, culture, and identity. The course will introduce theoretical and methodological instruments to study and compare borders. One period will focus on the border region between Spain and Morocco and one period will focus on the borderlands at the US/Mexican border.