The Shaping of Afro-Spaniard Identities: From the Colonial View to Counternarratives of Blackness within Spanish Culture (1920-2020) is an ongoing project of collaborative publications to be edited by Dr. Ana León-Távora and Dr. Rosalía Cornejo-Parriego, from University of Ottawa. In the volume, several scholars investigate different forms of representation (and misrepresentation) of Black identities within Spanish culture in any medium (literature, paintings, cartoons, photography, music, etc.) over the past century.
Dr. Ana León-Távora is Associate Professor of Spanish at Salem College. Her research interest focuses on the interdisciplinary connections between visual artistic expressions and non-canonical European avant-garde literature, laying a special emphasis on the contributions of Spanish avant-garde artists to the humorous journals of the epoch. This led her to the investigation of racist humor in the humorous Spanish journals of the 1920’s and 1930’s. In her research, Dr. León-Távora contends that the racist jokes and cartoons within the journals are a reflection of the conflict between Spain’s colonial misrepresentation of Blacks versus the airs of modernity and novelty embodied by the many African American jazz artists that migrated to Europe after World War I.
Comments
This is an intriguing topic, particularly in light of recent events and the overall argument over what constitutes racism and what does not. I'm excited to hear what you've uncovered!
Thank you for sharing what you have found! I think that this is a very interesting topic, I know that you have put a lot of effort and time into this, so thank you!
Thank you, Ana! That was really terrific!
