Multicultural Spain (La España multicultural) 3305-HW-SEM-MGR

The master’s seminar is devoted to Galician, Basque, and Catalan cultures analysed primarily through film and selected forms of audiovisual culture. The aim of the seminar is to prepare participants for independent research and the development of a master’s thesis by strengthening methodological competences and developing skills related to formulating research questions, conducting bibliographic research, critically analysing cultural materials, and presenting research results. The seminar provides a space for academic discussion, exchange of experiences, and the development of individual research interests.
The seminar focuses on contemporary cultural and social transformations taking place within Spain’s minority cultures and on the ways they are represented, negotiated, and articulated in film and audiovisual culture. Particular attention will be paid to the relations between language, culture, and image, questions of identity, centre–periphery relations, and the political and social dimensions of audiovisual production.
Examples of research areas include:
– representations of Galician, Basque, and Catalan identities in film;
– relations between language, culture, and image;
– centre–periphery relations in audiovisual culture;
– landscape and territory in the film cultures of minority communities;
– women’s cinema and feminist perspectives;
– politics and audiovisual activism;
– film production, distribution, and circulation.
Throughout the seminar, participants develop their own research project, formulate a research problem, prepare the concept of their thesis, and gradually elaborate subsequent stages of the master’s thesis.
Seminar work is based on the reading of academic texts, analysis of film and audiovisual materials, methodological discussion, presentation of research projects, and regular discussion of progress in thesis preparation.
The seminar is conducted through regular seminar meetings and consultations related to the preparation of the master’s thesis. At least 50% of the classes are conducted in the form of group meetings. Seminar meetings are mandatory and serve to develop research competences, discuss methodological issues, present research projects, and facilitate the exchange of experiences among participants. Consultations support the individual development of the thesis project and monitor research progress.
A maximum of two unexcused absences is permitted. The detailed organization of the seminar may vary depending on the stage of thesis preparation.
Warning: some of the film, audiovisual, and textual materials analysed during the seminar may contain content that could be distressing for sensitive participants, including representations of violence, discrimination, political and social conflicts, erotic content, or vulgar language. The selection of materials results from their relevance to the research questions under discussion.

Course coordinators

Term 2025:

Maria Boguszewicz
Ewa Grajber

Term 2026:

Maria Boguszewicz

Type of course

Master's seminars

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

The participant should possess a basic knowledge of the history and culture of Spain and demonstrate an interest in Galician, Basque, and Catalan cultures, with particular attention to film and selected forms of audiovisual culture. Readiness to formulate independent research questions, conduct bibliographic research, and participate in academic discussion is recommended. Knowledge of Galician, Basque, or Catalan is not required; however, basic familiarity with at least one of these languages or the parallel development of linguistic and cultural competences through language courses or courses devoted to these cultures available within the study programme is recommended. The participant should demonstrate advanced proficiency in Spanish and sufficient command of English to independently read academic texts and conduct basic bibliographic research.

Learning outcomes

KNOWLEDGE [the participant knows and understands]
K_W01: the subject-specific and methodological characteristics of Iberian Studies, which they are able to develop creatively and apply in research and professional practice, as well as terminology related to Iberian Studies, especially in the context of research on culture, film, and audiovisual culture of Galicia, the Basque Country, and Catalonia, at an advanced level
K_W02: the connections between Iberian Studies and the humanities and social sciences, with particular emphasis on research concerning minority cultures, centre–periphery relations, and non-hegemonic research perspectives
K_W03: the basic concepts and principles of intellectual property protection and copyright law, as well as the need for responsible management of intellectual property resources in research and academic work
K_W04: scientific and cultural phenomena in Poland and Spain and, in particular, possesses in-depth knowledge of contemporary research trends concerning Galician, Basque, and Catalan cultures and their connections with other humanistic discourses and research on film and audiovisual culture
K_W05: terminology, theory, and methodology in the field of Spanish history and culture relevant to Iberian Studies, with particular emphasis on research on film and audiovisual culture within minority cultures
K_W06: contemporary achievements of research centres and scholarly schools in the field of cultural studies relevant to Iberian Studies, particularly in relation to research on film, audiovisual culture, and Galician, Basque, and Catalan cultures
SKILLS [the participant is able to]
K_U01: apply acquired research skills, including critical analysis of cultural products and social and cultural phenomena in Spain, synthesis of diverse ideas and research perspectives, selection of methods and construction of research tools, as well as preparation and presentation of results, enabling independent solutions to research problems relevant to Iberian Studies
K_U02: independently acquire knowledge in the field of Iberian Studies, expand research skills, and undertake autonomous actions aimed at developing their own research project and preparing the master’s thesis
K_U03: apply acquired language skills in understanding and producing oral and written texts using specialised terminology and in conducting research and presenting results within the field of Iberian Studies
K_U05: use Spanish at the C2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, particularly for conducting research, reading academic texts, and preparing the master’s thesis
SOCIAL COMPETENCES [the participant is ready to]
K_K01: critically evaluate their own knowledge and skills and understand the need for continuous improvement and development in research and academic work
K_K02: resolve dilemmas related to conducting research and pursuing a future profession, taking into account ethical principles and research responsibility
K_K04: follow contemporary processes and phenomena in Spanish culture, politics, and society, with particular attention to Galician, Basque, and Catalan cultures and their representation in film and audiovisual culture

Assessment criteria

Seminar assessment is based on systematic work on the research project and the preparation of the master’s thesis, as well as regular participation in seminar meetings and consultations.
Throughout the seminar, participants prepare subsequent elements of their research project, engage in methodological discussions, present research progress, and discuss selected research problems and materials related to the master’s thesis.
Requirements for passing individual semesters are as follows:
Semester I:
– defining the research problem of the planned master’s thesis.
Semester II:
– determining the topic of the master’s thesis;
– preparing a thesis outline including: the aim of the thesis, research questions, planned structure, and preliminary bibliography.
Semester III:
– presenting a fragment of the master’s thesis of at least 12 pages, prepared as a coherent unit corresponding to the planned structure of the thesis (e.g. a chapter).
Semester IV:
– submitting the master’s thesis.
A maximum of two unexcused absences is permitted.
Use of artificial intelligence tools:
The use of artificial intelligence tools as support for the research process (e.g. organizing materials, searching for literature, translation, bibliography management, or language editing) is permitted, provided that such tools are used critically and responsibly. Submitting AI-generated content as one’s own analysis or replacing independent research with AI-generated outputs is not permitted. Participants are required to disclose the use of AI tools in seminar materials and in the master’s thesis. In matters not regulated herein, the general University of Warsaw guidelines concerning the use of artificial intelligence tools shall apply.

Bibliography

(depending on the research topics and questions selected by seminar participants, the reading list may be expanded. The bibliography below is indicative in character. Selected materials will be made available by the seminar instructor.)
Anon. 2022. Guía básica: Plan de sostenibilidad en las producciones audiovisuales. San Sebastián: Basque Green FILM.
Barsam, Richard, and Dave Monahan. 2019. Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. (selected chapters)
Berger, John. 2016. Ways of Seeing. Barcelona: Gustavo Gili. (selected chapters)
Blanco, Carmen. s.f. El contradiscurso de mujeres. Vigo: Nigra. (selected chapters)
BOGUSZEWICZ, Maria. 2014. “Droga do autonomii: Katalonia, Kraj Basków i Galicja jako przykład emancypacji kultur mniejszościowych.” In A. W. Brzezińska and J. Schmidt (eds), Regiony i regionalizmy w Europie: Badania – Kreacje – Popularyzacje, 101–113. Wrocław: Polskie Towarzystwo Ludoznawcze.
Bordwell, David, and Kristin Thompson. 2021. Film Art. Toruń: Wydawnictwo Wojciech Marzec.
Brown, William. 2013. “Minor Cinema.” In Edward Branigan and Warren Buckland (eds), The Routledge Encyclopedia of Film Theory, 290–294. London: Routledge.
Cubitt, Seán. 2005. EcoMedia. Amsterdam: Rodopi.
Deleuze, Gilles, and Félix Guattari. 1986. Kafka: Toward a Minor Literature. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Gabilondo, Joseba. 2020. “Epilogue: Basque Cinema 2003–2020.” In Jaume Martí-Olivella (ed.), Basque Cinema: History of an In/Visibility, 595–695. Michigan: Barbaroak.
Ivakhiv, Adrian. 2013. Ecologies of the Moving Image: Cinema, Affect, Nature. Waterloo: Wilfrid Laurier University Press. (selected chapters)
Kääpä, Pietari, and Tommy Gustafsson. 2010. “Introduction: Transnational Ecocinema in an Age of Ecological Transformation.” In Pietari Kääpä and Tommy Gustafsson (eds), Transnational Ecocinema: Film Culture in an Era of Ecological Transformation, 3–20. Bristol–Chicago: Intellect.
Labanyi, Jo, and Tatiana Pavlović (eds). 2016. A Companion to Spanish Cinema. Malden: Wiley Blackwell. (selected chapters)
Moreno Cabrera, Juan Carlos. 2008. Linguistic Nationalism: A Destructive Ideology. Barcelona: Península. (selected chapters)
Nichols, Bill. 2010. Engaging Cinema: An Introduction to Film Studies. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. (selected chapters)
Nogueira, Xosé. 2021. Para unha historia do cinema en lingua galega. Vol. 4: Lume na periferia. Vigo: Galaxia. (selected chapters)
Paszkiewicz, Katarzyna. 2017. Rehacer los géneros: Mujeres cineastas dentro y fuera de Hollywood. Barcelona: Icaria. (selected chapters)
Paszkiewicz, Katarzyna. 2021. “Cinema and Environment: The Arts of Noticing in the Anthropocene.” Res Rhetorica: Rhetoric of Ecology in Visual Culture 8 (2): 2–21.
Silverman, Jonathan, and Dean Rader. 2019. The World Is a Text: Writing about Visual and Popular Culture. Peterborough: Broadview Press. (selected chapters)
Simón, Carla, and Arnau Vilaró. 2022. Alcarràs: Una història sobre la terra, la pagesia i la família. Barcelona: La Malgrana. (selected chapters)
Stone, Rob, and María Pilar Rodríguez. 2015. Basque Cinema: A Cultural and Political History. London–New York: Bloomsbury. (selected chapters)