This document provides an introduction and overview of a course on Spanish culture and civilization. It includes the instructor's contact information, an outline of class work and materials, and how students will be graded. Additionally, it touches on key concepts to be covered like the importance of understanding a culture, history and language. Specific topics that will be discussed are introduced, such as critical thinking, intercultural encounters, and an introduction to Spain's geography, climate, location, demographics and infrastructure.

1. Spanish Culture and
Civilization
First semester 09-12.2015
Class 1

2. Introduction to Course
• Contact information: scohen64@gmail.com
• Syllabus (presentation, prerequisite, objectives,
grade breakdown, office hours, exams).
• Class work, oral presentation and reading
material.
• All that you need to know in order to pass the
course. Extra credit – reiteration: theatre group,
blog participation, etc.
• Digital aid, networking, courseware, blog and FB.

3. CULTURE
• Why it is important to know a language / a culture / History /
Personal, national narrative?
• A material and symbolic foundation that are tied together. Its
connotation is founded on the meaning with direct relation
between the materialistic to the symbolic substrate.
• Let´s differ that notion of culture than the one of the XIX
century, As one would say “this is cultural” to define
something that embellish, enriches

4. Critical Thinking
• Moore&Parker: “The careful application of reason in the determination of
whether a claim is true.”
• Tittle: ”Judicious reasoning about believe and, therefore, what to do.”
• “A process of considering ideas from many points of view following their
implications, and comparing then to other ideas.”
• The ability to challenge our prejudices about everything in life and have the
courage to change, adjust and remodel, according to new and reasoned
information.
• Analytical stand, avoiding cognitive biases.
• Critical: not Criticism – to be a critic need to have data mining skills,
prioritizing knowledge (avoiding cognitive bias.
• Thinking: “To learn without thinking is useless, to think without learning is
dangerous” (Confucius). Empowering the person to think.
• Critical Thinking: Emotional Intelligence. In my exp. stud. lacking process of
reasonable assessment of emotions.

5. Intercultural Encounters
• Typology of the Other (T. Todorov):
• Axiological - Judgment of valor.
• Praxeological - Action – approximation or
distancing, assimilation, identification, me to him
or him to me, by submission / or neutrality.
• Epistemical - Getting to know or ignoring his
identity.
• The different travelers in the world (Voyages
modernes):
Assimilateur / Profitur / tourist / impressionist /
l’assimilé / l’exote / l’exilé / l’allégoriste / désabusé
/ Philosophe.

6. Why?
• Beyond tradition / Beyond frontiers / geographical and
demographical delimitation.
• Determining whether a claim is true.
• Changing from passive learning to active one.
• More complex challenges today than any time before with the
creation of new knowledge. How do we filter good information?
• Art and Literature VS Politics and History.
• Categories we incorporate culture, identity, history, language,
time, space, tradition; as well as combination of norms, social
conduct, valors, ideas (Somers, 606).
• Social identity constitute by Narrativity (conceptual Narrativity).
• What advantage does it give us to know the local language?
• How to read culture?

7. Introduction to Spain

8. Geography
• Spain is in the Iberian Peninsula
• which makes Spain’s area the fourth largest in
Europe.
• Spain is one of four Iberian peninsula countries.
• Covers about five-sixths of the total area of ​​the
Peninsula with about - 492 000 sq km
• Average surface height is 660m, making it the
second highest country in Europe (after
Switzerland).

10. Climate
• The country's climate varies by location.
• La meseta central - half of the territory of Spain.
• Extreme climate changes.
• South very hot summer, with temperatures
reaching over 50 degrees in the shade.
• Southeast arid climate prevails over six months a
year.
• North rainy and cold.

12. Location
• Strategic location - connecting point between
the European and the African continents.
• North - Cantabrian Sea and France.
• East - Mediterranean Sea.
• South - Mediterranean and Atlantic.
• West - Portugal and the Atlantic.
• Coastline: 4,964km.
• 14Km from the great African continent.

13. Demographic overview
• Population – approx. 47.000.000 people.
• Birth rate of approx. 1,23 children per woman.
• Increased influx of immigrant population.
Another example is the number of children
born to foreign parents more than triple in
five years, ten years.

14. Infrastructure
• World's best infrastructure.
• High-speed rail infrastructure (AVE, Alta velocidad
España)
• Public transportation (RENFE) with over 1.5% of the
Spanish PIB.
• Road infrastructure in European level with highways
and roads service fee.
• Local bus services are responsibility of the autonomy
• National and international buses are operated by
private companies (such as Elsa, Eurolines and Conde).