Spanish Civil War from the Loyalist perspective, as a third party - George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia .

For good pictures, the online collections by Robert Capa. They can be found everywhere.

From a third party, Republican perspective, Comrades by Harry Fisher, Pete Seeger, is a good view. It shows the US involvement with the International Brigades, but you have to remember that the views expressed are equated with the Communist Party in the US. I think that's what makes it an interesting read, and gives a good POV. There's also the anarchist point of view but I wouldn't bother going with that. But it is interesting how the anarchists fought, but had a real problem following orders.

Wolf

I know, it's the wrong thread, but I don't altogether agree with the wise Wolf on this one. The anarchist and socialist, and indeed anti-Stalinist, anti-Communist party, position makes for a very interesting read. Remember they fought totalitarianism on two fronts. But that's another story and will take us away from the point at hand. That's why it's a bit tricky trying to cover the complex conflict in a short course.

hombre_gizon, "Airbag" rocks! I hacked my DVD so that I could watch DVDs from Europe just for that movie!!

Back on topic, I happened to like reading some of Hemmingways books that involved Spain and his newspaper reports from Spain during the war as well.

I did not recommend The Spanish Civil War as a beginning topic for your Contemporary Spain course. I did say that H.S. Seniors would consider it as 'ancient history.' Just the posts you have seen here should give you an idea how easy it is to get mired in controversy about that conflict.
Spain is more than Bullfights and Flamenco. The national sport is soccer (Futbol). They work out their regional hostilities on the football pitch (with the help of players from las Americas, Italy and the Czech Republic). Spain hosted the Summer Olympics in 1992 and the President of the Olympic Committee is a Catalonian from Barcelona.
Spain is a large, geographically diverse country: still considered la Madre Patria by many Hispanics. As a N.Y. High School teacher you undoubtedly have students of the Hispanic persuasion. But Spain is a European country, a member of the European Union and NATO. The Euro is now used (no more pesetas). They had a train (AVE) like the Acela (just put in service on the northeast corridor) since 1992. IMHO, Spain did not get a 'fair shake' in their bid to provide that service using Talgo technology: a technology developed in Spain for high speed service in mountainous terrain based on the design of the undercarriage rather than railbed replacement. Instead, U.S. lobbyists & politicians scoffed at Spanish Technology as an oxymoron (although Spain was ready to deliver) and bought the older French technology so that (railbeds had to be replaced) implementation was delayed more than 2-years. In many ways Spain is more advanced than the U.S. 'Quality of life' for the average person in Spain is better than that of the average American; and they are, for the most part, much more civilized ...

Re. Federico Garcia-Lorca: When I lived in Madrid in the 1960's there was someone on Madrid Radio who would read Garcia-Lorca's poetry on the air with such passion: Garcia-Lorca was a great poet; but he was also an homosexual and it is said by many that's why the Guardia Civil killed him. To dwell to much on his life & times might not be a very good idea for H.S. Seniors. (BTW: I have the complete works of Garcia-Lorca, in Spanish, on my bookshelf).
P.S.
I am a native New Yorker. I went to High School at 164th & Walton Ave. in the Bronx; but that's also ancient history ...

WOW! What a great response... You guys are WONDERFUL...I am off to a quick weekend get away, so I cannot respond right now in depth...Only one thing: The course will be taught en español ,nevado...and I would love your ideas When I get back from the weekend I will get in touch. Talk to you all on Monday Mil gracias...

There is some great music in Contemporary Spain. A great suggestion for any class would be the poems that Paco Ibanez sings on his album En El Olympia, recorded in France during the time of Franco. When Paco sings Rafael Alberti's Balada del que nunca fue a Granada and A Galopar, you feel the experience of those who were outside of Spain because of Franco. Palabras Para Julia de Goytisolo is incredible too.

Other music recommendations:

Mecano, Joan Manuel Serrat

Yes! Some music groups worth checking out are Mecano, Radio Futura, Gabinete Caligari, or La Oreja de Van Gohg. I would stay away from others like Estopa, too much slang can be quite confusing for your students, in my view.

Saludos,

p

P.S.: Girls specially might appreciate the music of Ella Baila Sola

Hi everyone
I just re-read everyone's ideas...and they are so thought- provoking.
About textbooks: I, also, thought of Williams' The Story of Spain and Hooper's The New Spaniards as good introductions. Yet , I should not have them read too much in English. (it is a Spanish language course!) I haven't read Raymond Carr's Modern Spain--but I will. I am also very interested in Blood of Spain. I hadn't heard of it before--and it sounds interesting. I also hadn't thought of Roberet Capa's photos. So, thanks. I was at a language teacher's conference in Manhattan on Friday and I saw some possible books in Spanish...one especially caught my eye: España, ayer y hoy by Carmen Mora. It seems simple and direct; perfect for high school.
About movies: I will llook at Land and Freedom, Torrente and Los amantes del círculo polar. I have seen the others you all mentioned and I have to choose. Being a one semester course we don't have time to see so many movies in class. (although I know they would love to spend senior year watching movies !!!) So, I may suggest them to see as extra credit assignments.
Butterfly is one of my favorites. I will have them read the short story by M. Rivas first.
Cooter, you are so right about the "chicken and egg" syndrome...they do need to know a little of what was happening before to understand the Guerra Civil and all of the implications...yet I don't want to focus on it too much ( I may "lose" them!)
nevado, La movida will DEFINITELY interest them, so can anyone suggest any books or articles on it. thanks for offering the syllabus you used; I would LOVE to look at it. I will email you soon.
As for literature: has anyone read Angeles Mastretta's Mujeres de ojos grandes or Almudena Grandes' Modelos de mujer?? Should I consider them for high school...I have not read them yet. Any thoughts?
Pim, I would love to hear Ella baila sola...do you think I can find them in the States? caminante, Paco Ibañez is one of my favorites...so I will defintely be using his work.
well, thanks for your ideas so far and keep thinking...

I agree that the Civil War is a good place to start. As a teacher I see loads of ways to integrate that with other subjects. You could do a literature tie in and read For Whom the Bell Tolls, which I think is an amazing book. You could also do some art history (Guernica). The possibilities are endless. It would be hard to find an appropriate film for high school students. Most of the ones I know that are available over here with subtitles are rated R. I know in my spanish class we loved watching the ones that were dubbed into English. I remember watching Star Wars in Spanish and thinking that was hilarious. This is a great time to teach a course on Contemporary Spain. It seems with the post September 11th mess Spain has been in the American papers quite frequently for rounding up terrorists and that might be a good way to get into the political system.

I think an Almadovar movie would be the best social backdrop to "understand" Spain. I think the confusing confliting yet real aspects presented in many of of his movies would draw moth/flame senioritis killing interest and thus would give you a basis to begin the Civil War and then you could end class with another Almadovar movie. Your course theme could be: Modern Spain: Traditional yet Contemp, Regional yet National, Liberal yet Conservative, old yet new, and yet.... none of the above.