This blog delves into the rich tapestry of Hispanic literature and culture, tracing its evolution from the diverse kingdoms of medieval Iberia to the expansive Virreinatos of the early modern Americas. Explore the literary and cultural expressions that emerged from the dynamic interplay of traditions, languages, and identities across continents.
Join us as we:
Uncover the literary treasures of medieval Iberia: Delve into epic poems, lyrical verse, and prose that reflect the multiculturalism and religious pluralism of the era.
Witness the flourishing of the Golden Age: Explore the explosion of literary creativity in early modern Spain, with iconic works by Cervantes, Lope de Vega, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.
Trace the transatlantic exchange of ideas: Examine how literary and cultural trends traveled between Spain and the Americas, shaping identities and worldviews.
Analyze the impact of colonialism on cultural production: Discover how indigenous voices and experiences found expression in literature and art, challenging and enriching colonial narratives.
Embark on a literary journey through time and across the Atlantic, uncovering the captivating stories and cultural expressions that shaped the Hispanic world.
The 19th Newberry Cervantes Symposium provides a forum for scholars throughout the United States to share and discuss emerging research in the field of Cervantes studies. The 19th edition of the event will include a keynote lecture and ten scholarly talks in English, and three scholarly talks in Spanish. The talks incorporate innovative approaches to Cervantes’s works and cover a wide thematic scope, such as the literary forms and genres, the formation of conceptual frameworks and knowledge, the social formation and the human difference, the heuristic value of literature, media performance, and visual culture. This event is co-organized and co-sponsored by the Cervantes Society of America and the Instituto Cervantes in Chicago.
For those who would like to join us those days, please note that there is a registration form linked at the bottom of the symposium webpage,
Carmela V. Mattza. VARIEDADES. SECOND EDITION. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED SPANISH CONVERSATION. Vigo (Spain), Academia Editorial del Hispanismo, 2021. Open Access Book
Abstract VARIEDADES. Second Edition. Intermediate/ Advanced Spanish Conversation is a textbook for the student at the intermediate / advanced intermediate level. Through audiovisual activities, the student is expected to put their previous knowledge into practice and improve their ability to understand, write, listen, and speak in Spanish. VARIEDADES offers communicative activities that can be easily adapted into courses of different levels. In addition, it offers an appendix of activities with films and a Spanish grammar section that by subject directs the student to electronic databases that are freely accessible or are part of the Open Access platform.
This book has also been deposited at the MLA HCommons:
CFP: Literature, Pedagogy, Research, and AI in Humanities and Social Sciences in Higher Education Dear Colleague,
We cordially invite you to submit an abstract for our upcoming special issue, focusing on literature, pedagogy, research, and AI within the Humanities and Social Sciences.
We are excited about the contributions this issue will make to Higher Education, and we would be very grateful if you could share this call with colleagues who may be interested.
Sincerely,
Lisa, James, Carmela, Robert, and Xabier
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Literature, Pedagogy, Research, and AI in Humanities and Social Sciences in Higher Education
Call for Contributions
We invite submissions that critically examine how applications and tools utilizing artificial intelligence intersect with pedagogical design, research practices, and classroom implementation in modern language, literature, and culture education within higher-education contexts. We seek critical, practice-based, and data-informed work that demonstrates how AI reshapes teaching, learning, and assessment in English, Spanish, or other modern language courses at the freshman, sophomore, upper-division (including majors and minors) or graduate levels.
General Editors:
Carmela Mattza (Louisiana State University)
Lisa Nalbone (University Central Florida)
Section Editors:
Xabier Granja Ibarreche (University of Alabama)
James Nemiroff (John Carroll University)
Robert Turner (University of South Dakota)
Areas of Contribution
A. Submissions on Literature and AI in Higher Education
B. Submissions on Research in Humanities and Social Sciences and AI in Higher Education
C. Submissions on Pedagogy and AI in Higher Education
A. Scope and Expectations for Submissions on Literature and AI in Higher Education
Accepted contributors will submit a complete essay of 5,000–6,000 words, including notes and a works cited page. All formatting and citations must follow the guidelines outlined in the MLA Handbook, 9th Edition (2021). Essays should critically engage with the intersection of literature and artificial intelligence within higher education. Submissions may explore theoretical, historical, or pedagogical dimensions and should aim to advance scholarly discourse in this emerging area.
Abstract Requirements (250–300 words)
The abstract should succinctly summarize the essay’s objectives, methodology, and anticipated contribution in one of the following areas:
Representations of AI in Literary Works: Discuss portrayals of AI in novels, films, poetry, and other literary forms. Consider themes such as agency, ethics, creativity, and human–machine relationships. Role of AI in Literary Creation: Examine how AI tools are used to generate or assist in creating literary texts, poetry, or narrative structures. Address implications for authorship and originality. Assessment or Evaluation Methodology: Outline the approach for analyzing texts or evaluating AI’s impact on literary production and interpretation.
B. Scope and Expectations for Submissions on Research in Humanities and Social Sciences and AI in Higher Education
Accepted contributors will submit a complete essay of 5,000–6,000 words, including notes and a works cited page. All formatting and citations must follow the guidelines outlined in the MLA Handbook, 9th Edition (2021). Essays should critically examine the role of artificial intelligence in shaping research practices and methodologies and propose pedagogical strategies within the humanities and social sciences disciplines. Submissions may include theoretical analyses, case studies, or practical applications that demonstrate AI’s impact on scholarly inquiry and teaching.
Abstract Requirements (250–300 words)
The abstract should provide a concise overview of the essay’s objectives, context, and significance. It should address these topics:
Problem or Pedagogical Need: Identify the research challenge or instructional gap your essay addresses. Course Context and Student Population: Describe the educational setting, including course type, level, and relevant characteristics of the student population. Role of AI in Research: Analyze how AI tools influence research design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or dissemination within the humanities and social sciences. Assessment or Evaluation Methodology: Outline the methods used to assess AI’s effectiveness or its impact on research outcomes and student learning.
C. Scope and Expectations for Submissions on Pedagogy and AI in Higher Education
Accepted contributors will submit a full essay of 4,500–5,000 words, including notes and a works cited page. All formatting and citations must follow the guidelines outlined in the MLA Handbook, 9th Edition (2021). Each essay must include:
A Complete Description of the Pedagogy Utilized, including:
Course and Level, Student Preparation Background Learning Outcomes Target Competencies AI Tools Used and the Rationale for Using Those Tools: A description of the assignment(s), how it was scaffolded, detailing how students interacted with AI Assessment: An elaboration of the evaluation criteria, including the rubric offered to students Outline of Instructions and Expectations: Include permitted AI practices, integrity guidelines, and deliverables. Reflection and Analysis: Discuss challenges, unexpected findings, and pedagogical implications. Evidence-Based or Qualitative Evaluation: Provide data or observations supporting the effectiveness Recommendations for Improvement and Broader Adaptation: Suggest strategies for refining the activity and scaling it to other contexts. Abstract Requirements (200–250 words)
Each abstract should:
Highlight the Problem or pedagogical need Present information about the course: Context and the needs of the Student Population Elaborate on the Role of AI in the Course Design Assess how students were evaluated Explain how this study contributes to the themes of the cluster Deadlines
Abstracts should be sent to both Carmela V. Mattza and Lisa Nalbone: cmattza@lsu.edu; lisa.nalbone@ucf.edu.
AI in the Humanities & Social Sciences: Ethics, Practice, and Pedagogies April 25–26, 2025 University of Tennessee, Knoxville
The Marco Institute for Medieval & Renaissance Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, hosted a two-day conference that explored the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the humanities and social sciences. Titled AI in the Humanities & Social Sciences: Ethics, Practice, and Pedagogies, the event featured interactive workshops, hands-on demonstrations, and insightful panel discussions.
Participants addressed topics ranging from ethical concerns and societal implications of creative AI to its applications in languages, literature, and premodern studies. A highlight of the event was the keynote lecture by Brent Seales on virtually unwrapping the Herculaneum Scrolls. Scholars, educators, and practitioners gathered to share innovative pedagogical strategies and collaborative approaches to integrating AI into research and education.
The conference was organized by the Marco Institute with support from the AI Tennessee Initiative and co-sponsorship from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville College of Arts and Sciences Consortium on Social and Cultural Inquiry (CoSCI), the Departments of English and World Languages & Cultures, and the Language Resource Center.
Español:
La IA en las Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales: Ética, Práctica y Pedagogías 25–26 de abril de 2025 Universidad de Tennessee, Knoxville
El Instituto Marco de Estudios Medievales y Renacentistas de la Universidad de Tennessee, Knoxville, organizó una conferencia de dos días que exploró el impacto transformador de la inteligencia artificial en las humanidades y las ciencias sociales. Bajo el título La IA en las Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales: Ética, Práctica y Pedagogías, el evento contó con talleres interactivos, demostraciones prácticas y mesas redondas enriquecedoras.
Los participantes abordaron temas como las preocupaciones éticas y las implicaciones sociales de la IA creativa, así como sus aplicaciones en lenguas, literatura y estudios premodernos. Uno de los momentos más destacados fue la conferencia magistral de Brent Seales sobre el desenrollado virtual de los Pergaminos de Herculano. Académicos, educadores y profesionales se reunieron para compartir estrategias pedagógicas innovadoras y enfoques colaborativos para integrar la IA en la investigación y la enseñanza.
La conferencia fue organizada por el Instituto Marco con el apoyo de la Iniciativa AI Tennessee y la colaboración del Consorcio de Investigación Social y Cultural (CoSCI), los Departamentos de Inglés y de Lenguas y Culturas del Mundo, y el Centro de Recursos Lingüísticos de la UT.
The University of Seville hosted the international conference “Plumas rebeldes, voces silenciadas” from April 23 to 25, 2025, under the direction of Carmen Rivero Iglesias and coordination of Marcela Londoño. The event was part of the project “Female Humanism and European Modernity,” funded by the MICIU/AEI and the European Union’s NextGenerationEU/PRTR initiative.
Over three intensive days, researchers from prestigious institutions from Europe, the Americas, and Asia, a explored the struggles and contributions of women writers and thinkers in early modern Europe. The sessions focused on themes including “Women and Power,” “Control and Freedom,” “Female Scholars,” “Female Myths and Motherhood,” “Word and Silence,” “Women and Science,” “Voices from the Convent,” and “Women, Religion, and Politics.” Each presentation highlighted the ways women’s intellectual and literary voices were both empowered and silenced across time.
The program also included cultural activities like a guided tour of the Colombina Institution and an optional flamenco performance. The conference ended with a final reflection on “Reason, Heart, and Desire” in early modern women’s writings, underscoring the lasting relevance of these “rebellious pens” and their enduring legacy.
Español:
La Universidad de Sevilla celebró el congreso internacional “Plumas rebeldes, voces silenciadas” del 23 al 25 de abril de 2025, bajo la dirección de Carmen Rivero Iglesias y la coordinación de Marcela Londoño. Este evento se enmarca dentro del proyecto “Humanismo femenino y modernidad europea”, financiado por el MICIU/AEI y la iniciativa NextGenerationEU/PRTR de la Unión Europea.
Durante tres intensos días, investigadores de reconocidas instituciones de Europa, las Américas y Asia, analizaron las luchas y aportaciones de escritoras y pensadoras en la Europa de la temprana modernidad. Las sesiones abordaron temas como “Mujer y poder”, “Control y libertad”, “Mujeres letradas”, “Mitos femeninos y maternidad”, “Palabra y silencio”, “Mujer y ciencia”, “Voces desde el claustro” y “Mujer, religión y política”. Cada intervención puso de relieve los modos en que las voces intelectuales y literarias femeninas fueron tanto potenciadas como silenciadas a lo largo de la historia.
El programa incluyó también actividades culturales, como una visita guiada a la Institución Colombina y una función opcional de flamenco. El congreso concluyó con una reflexión final sobre “Razón, corazón y deseo” en la escritura femenina de la Edad Moderna, reafirmando la vigencia de estas “plumas rebeldes” y su legado perdurable.
Estudios del Observatorio/Observatorio Studies, vol. 93.
Edición: Instituto Cervantes at FAS – Harvard University
Resumen: Se acaba de publicar el volumen 93 de Estudios del Observatorio/Observatorio Studies, que recopila una selección de seis ponencias del simposio celebrado para clausurar el curso académico 2023-2024 en el Observatorio de la lengua española y las culturas hispánicas en los Estados Unidos. Se trata de la novena edición de las actas de este simposio anual, titulado en esta ocasión New Perspectives on Hispanic Cultures: La traducción entre el español y el inglés en los Estados Unidos / English-Spanish Translation in the US Context. Durante este encuentro académico, celebrado los días 30 y 31 de mayo, investigadores y profesionales de la traducción exploraron tanto aspectos teóricos como prácticos de la traducción entre ambos idiomas.
Los textos en este número 93 de Estudios del Observatorio/Observatorio Studies cubren temáticas variadas, desde enfoques abstractos y literarios —incluyendo exploraciones sobre el traductor como intermediario dialógico entre el autor y la obra traducida— hasta aplicaciones prácticas en inteligencia artificial. Cada trabajo se presenta en su lengua original y los resúmenes se ofrecen en ambos idiomas.
XV Coloquio Internacional de la Asociación de Cervantistas Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, 28-30 de mayo de 2025
Cervantes y la otredad: límites, fronteras, extranjerías
Keynote Speakers: Maria Fernanda de Abreu José Montero Reguera
En esta segunda circular, queremos ampliar la información ofrecida hasta la fecha, además de recordar algunos puntos importantes. La Comisión Local Organizadora (CLO) está presidida por Alexia Dotras Bravo (Departamento de Línguas Estrangeiras, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança) y compuesta por Ana Maria Alves, Carmen Lucas, Cláudia Martins, Elisabete Mendes Silva, Isabel Augusta Chumbo e Isabel Joana Aguiar, todas ellas pertenecientes al mismo Departamento del Instituto Politécnico de Bragança. Por su parte, el Secretariado de la CLO se encuentra comandado por María Fernández Rodríguez (maría.rodriguez@ipb.pt ) y Filipa Raquel Santos (filipa.santos@ipb.pt).
Recordamos los puntos clave para el envío de propuestas. Para el pago, será enviada la información de la cuenta del Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB) en la siguiente circular. En cualquier caso, el pago se debe realizar después de la aceptación de la propuesta de comunicación.
1. Líneas temáticas: el XV CIAC abordará la vida y la obra de Cervantes, con especial énfasis en la visión del Otro, la convivencia entre culturas y nacionalidades en la obra cervantina y la recepción lusófona de Cervantes.
2. Fechas: 28, 29 y 30 de mayo de 2025.
3. Propuesta de comunicaciones: Los interesados en participar en el XV CIAC deben completar el formulario de inscripción adjunto a esta convocatoria (datos personales, filiación académica, título y resumen de la comunicación) antes del 30 de noviembre de 2024 y enviarlo a xvciac@ipb.pt. El comité científico evaluará las propuestas y comunicará el resultado a los interesados, que entonces podrán realizar el pago según las modalidades que se señalen y entrarán en el programa del coloquio.
4. Pago de las cuotas: a. 50€ (55 USD) para los socios de la Asociación de Cervantistas al corriente de pagob. 100€ (110 USD) para los no sociosc. 30€ (33 USD) para oyentesd. Gratuita para alumnos, acompañantes y miembros del IPB
5. Lenguas: Serán castellano y portugués, pero, por cortesía transfronteriza, se aceptarán también en gallego y mirandés.
6. Contactos y dudas: alexia@ipb.pt7 –
Otras informaciones: En la próxima circular se ofrecerá información detallada sobre la organización y patrocinios, la página web, que está en construcción, las vías de pago, las opciones de alojamiento, la programación cultural y otros detalles para el viaje.
16th and 17th Century Spanish and Iberian Drama Forum
Love’s Avatars in Cervantes’s Plays
Co-sponsored with the Cervantes Society of America (CSA)
Submissions on adaptations, appropriation, and or translation of Miguel de Cervantes’s Theater exploring the rich tapestry of love, redemption, and human emotions. 250–300-word abstract and 1-page CV due Monday, March 15th, 2024, to Carmela Mattza at: cmattza@lsu.edu.
NARRATIVE
The 16th-17th Century Spanish and Iberian Drama Forum of the MLA invites scholars, researchers, and practitioners in the field of early modern studies to submit their research papers for MLA’s upcoming conference in 2025, focusing on the theme: “Cervantes’s Plays: Love’s Avatars from Disillusionment and Deceit to Redemption, Enlightenment, and Gratitude”.
The plays of Miguel de Cervantes delve deep into the intricate nuances of human relationships, exposing the complexities of love, the challenges of disillusionment, the perils of deceit, and the ultimate journey toward redemption, enlightenment, and gratitude. This panel encourages submissions that offer fresh perspectives, innovative analyses, and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding Cervantes’s exploration of love’s complexities in his theatrical creations and recreations.
Potential topics for exploration include, but are not limited to:
-How gender roles and societal expectations influence the portrayal of love and its challenges in Cervantes’s plays.
-How the portrayal of disillusionment (desengaño) in Cervantes’s plays and its impact on characters and relationships resonate with different cultures and historical periods
-What are the metaphorical and literal depictions of murder and treachery, and their consequences in the Spanish Early Modern Theater.
-How gratitude, reconciliation, and the themes of forgiveness and redemption in the context of love and human relationships are conveyed through state elements, gestures, and acting choices in adaptations and reinterpretations.
CFP Games and Players in Iberian and Early Modern Theater
We invite submissions that explore and analyze the role and/or representation of games, players, tricksters, or related topics, in the Spanish comedia. Submit a 250-300 word abstract and 1 page CV by March 15, 2024, to Carmela Mattza at: cmattza@lsu.edu.
NARRATIVE
The 16th and 17th Century Spanish and Iberian Drama Forum of the MLA invites scholars, researchers, and practitioners in the field of early modern studies to submit their research papers for MLA’s upcoming conference in 2025, focusing on the theme: “Games and Players in Early Modern Theater.” The early modern period witnessed a remarkable evolution in theatrical arts, exploring the intricacies of human nature, society, and culture through the lens of dramatic performances and texts. The topic of games did not escape this theatrical scene, where the lexicon involving naipes, among other games, and characters such as tahúres were commonly seen and heard on the stages. A reflection of a society engaging ever more in leisure activities, games quickly became a point of encounter and contention. Cervantes’ invitation to a “mesa de trucos” in the prologue of his Novelas ejemplares is by now a cliché that has helped to view the act of reading as a game. Playwrights, such as Lope de Vega and Tirso de Molina, also took advantage of lexicon and common ludic practices in their theater. In recent history, ludology gained traction ever since historian Johan Huizinga’s influential book Homo Ludens (1938). Different scholars, such Roger Caillois and Brian Sutton-Smith, among others, have further developed, critiqued, and expanded on Huizinga’s theory. The field itself has been influential in sociology, pedagogy, and psychology, to name a few fields. With such broad avenues, this session aims to delve into the multifaceted relationship between explicit or implicit games, players, and cheaters in the early modern theater. We invite papers that explore the dynamic interplay between theatricality, performance, and the socio-cultural context of the time. We welcome submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:
· Theatrical Games: Examining the representation of games (cards, dice, chess, sports, hunting, etc.) within the context of early modern theatrical productions.
· Player Dynamics: Analyzing the roles and dynamics of actors, playwrights, and other contributors to the theatrical landscape as players.
· Audience Engagement: Exploring the interaction between performers and audiences, and the role of games in shaping this relationship.
· Cultural Significance: Investigating the cultural, political, and societal implications of games and performances during the early modern period as staged in theater.
· Theater as game: Approaching theater as a form of game and the playwrights as players.
CFP Bodies Beyond Label
This panel seeks papers that reveal moments of joyful sexual and gender expression in the theater of early modern Iberia. Submit a 250-300 word abstract and 1-page CV by March 15, 2024, to Carmela Mattza at: cmattza@lsu.edu.
NARRATIVE
Bodies without Labels in the Theater of Early Modern Iberia
We currently live in a time of shifting paradigms regarding gender and sexual expression as we begin to discover bodies without labels. Such was not the case in earlier periods of European history since the Middle Ages when inquisitional and other modes of oppression were common. With this stark contrast in mind, this session seeks papers that will reveal moments of joyful sexual and/or gender expression in the theater of early modern Iberia. More than thirty years have passed since Frédéric Serralta published what was then a surprising essay. He showed that Cosme Pérez (1593-1672), an actor on the Spanish stage, took on the persona of Juan Rana, and under this name he performed in more than fifty theatrical works, mostly interludes (entremeses). These works were written expressly for him, so that his comic genius could be foregrounded. Onstage, many of Juan Rana’s jokes and double entendres turned upon his same-sex desire; and even in some interludes he played with the ambiguity of gender. Although he was arrested for sodomy in 1636, Juan Rana was saved from the clutches of stern justice and quickly freed due to the actor’s close relationship with the noble class and the reigning royal family. The Spanish empire, then, was not simply a lugubrious place where sodomites were persecuted and condemned to death. Rather, it was a space that allowed for multiple voices, although requiring in most instances that they speak through double entendres, hyperbole, enigmas, circumlocutions, and the language of mythology. Lope de Vega, for example, uses such ambiguities and the language of melancholy to depict a friendship that might have seemed to be too close in La boda de dos maridos. Of all mythological figures, Ganymede was the most frequently alluded to when hinting at homoaffective practices. As a multivalent figure, he appears as an image of incest in Lope’s El castigo sin venganza. And what are we to make of Tirso de Molina’s El vergonzoso en palacio where Serafina rehearses a one-woman performance, taking on the role of various male characters with remarkable passion and intensity? Or how do we interpret the affectivity between Cesar (dressed as a woman) and Serafina in Calderón’s Las manos blancas no ofenden? This session, then, seeks to tease out moments in the theater of early modern Iberia where bodies feel joy and attraction as gender roles and labels become fluid or fade away.
· Cultural Significance: Investigating the cultural, political, and societal implications of games and performances during the early modern period as staged in theater.
· Theater as game: Approaching theater as a form of game and the playwrights as players.
This panel seeks papers that reveal moments of joyful sexual and gender expression in the theater of early modern Iberia. Submit a 250-300 word abstract and 1-page CV by March 15, 2024, to Carmela Mattza at: cmattza@lsu.edu.
