Spain
May to June 2023
This field school was to discover historical connections between the past and present of Spain and Vancouver Island. Students compared their own experiences as a tourist in contemporary Spain against their country's history and immersed themselves in local culture, visiting some of the nation's most important historical sites.
Description:
Spain has a long history of intense and complex interactions between the peoples of the three Abrahamic religions. Their legacy has shaped Spain and remains in its land and culture.
This field school introduced students to a particular lens to interpret Spanish history. It challenged the students to assess their own experiences as a tourist in contemporary Spain with an understanding of its complex history. They examined how Spain鈥檚 many histories are remembered and represented in the present day. Students saw themselves as a "fifth world," reflecting on how their own lives and perspectives connect to the history they were studying. The relationship with the Indigenous peoples of the Americas was present throughout the field school through stories of conquistadors and imperial representations.