Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the travels for the programs did not take place.Â
Shakespeare Across the Mediterranean: Adaptation, Colonialism, and Difference
Taught by John Garrison, English, and Kelly Maynard, history
During this experience, first-year students will engage in an in-depth examination of the figure of Othello. Studying not only his appearance in drama and opera but also the cultural contexts that inform these depictions. The course will focus on two central case studies: his appearance in Shakespeare's play Othello (1604) and then his re-imagining as an operatic figure in Verdi's Otello (1887). Studying these works allows students to explore theatrical conventions and performative dynamics, as well as to look at what these works have to tell us about the political, racial, and religious contexts of the cultures that produced them.
This GLP course will include travels:
- D.C. March 14-17, 2020
- Venice, Italy, and Cyprus May 18-31, 2020
Studies in Contemporary Spanish Literature and Film
The seminar-level GLP for 2020 is Studies in Contemporary Spanish Literature and Film led by Nick Phillips, Spanish
This seminar focuses on the detective genre and crime genre in Spain produced from the end of the Franco dictatorship (1978) to the present day. The course will investigate cultural sources produced since the transition to democracy, such as architecture and popular music, in order to interrogate the inherent changes in cultural and economic transformation that Spain has experienced from the late 70s to the 21st century, as part of the wider effects of globalization and regional integration. Use of critical articles on both the primary source texts and on the detective genre in general will broaden the analysis. Travels will take place over spring break to Seville, Madrid, and Barcelona, Spain, March 14-27, 2020. The class will also cover the detective genre through visual culture during the 2nd half of the semester and will utilize the students’ familiarity with these cities' geographical areas in order to expand analysis and investigation.