Summer 2024

Sport is integral to the make-up of Spanish society and its historical roots run deep. From medieval sporting contests to modern world dominance in soccer, sport has helped shape the Spanish experience. Over hundreds of years it has intersected and influenced politics, religion, the economy and much more, making it a worthy lens through which we can better understand the peoples and culture of Spain. This course will explore the historical episodes, eras and influence of such sports as bull-fighting, modern professional soccer and the impact of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games of Barcelona. Particular attention will be paid to the issue of sport, gender and sexuality, as gender analysis is an increasingly important perspective within sport history at large (¡Viva La Roja, FIFA 2023!) Students from both classes will have the opportunity to hear from eight local sports experts while in Barcelona and Sevilla as well as attend numerous sporting events and cultural activities.