Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Culture - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0415263530 ISBN 13: 9780415263535

Publisher: Routledge, 2001

Synopsis

Spain's rapid and successful transition from an outdated authoritative system to a modern parliamentary democracy has attracted worldwide interest. Some 750 alphabetically-arranged entries provide insights into the exciting cultural and political developments within Spain, including the cultures of Catalonia, Galicia and the Basque country. Coverage spans from the end of the Civil War in 1939 to the present day, with emphasis on the changes made since the demise of the Franco dictatorship in 1975. Culture is defined in its broadest sense encompassing a wide variety of subjects, including entries on:
Advertising
Antonio Banderas
Dance
Detective fiction
Education
Fashion
Antonio Gaudí
Golf
Journalism
Opera
Politics
Racism
Science
Sculpture
St ock exchanges
Tennis Theatre
Urbanization
Entries range from shorter, factual articles to longer overview essays which offer an in-depth treatment of major issues. Annotated suggestions for further reading follow the longer articles and include both Spanish and English works. A comprehensive system of cross-referencing and a thematic contents list help the reader navigate a path through the entries.
The Encyclopedia provides a cultural context for students of Spanish, European Studies, Business and Management as well as providing a fascinating insight into Spanish culture for the general reader.

About this title

About the Author

Eamon Rogers is Professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies at the University of Strahclyde, UK.

From Library Journal

Part of a series of encyclopedias on contemporary culture, these two works offer cross-referenced entries, alphabetically arranged, that include both specific and general topics. All articles are signed, and a subject listing, a list of contributors with their affiliations, and suggestions for further reading are included. Coverage in the Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture begins with the 1960s but stresses the 1990s. Many inconsistencies emerge: while individual film directors, intellectuals, and visual artists are treated, musicians, politicians, and literary authors are not. Little uniformity exists between similar entries: "actors (male)" discusses all acting venues but "actors (female)" deals almost exclusively with cinema. Entries tend to be more analysis than fact, and statistics in many expected places are absent. For instance, the entry for "cars" omits any information on manufacturing or ownership and instead discusses four-wheel-drive advertising gimmicks. Far more useful is Bamber Gascoigne's Encyclopedia of Britain (Macmillan, 1993). Coverage in The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Culture begins with the end of the Civil War in 1939, emphasizing the post-Franco period (after 1975). It is inclusive of Catalan, Galician, and Basque languages and cultures. Musicians, politicians, and writers are treated, and entries may include a bibliography, filmography, or discography of an entrant's major works. General topics receive more thorough and factual treatment, such as the entry for "sexual behavior," which discusses contradictory poll results, statistics regarding both attitudes and behavior, and considerations of age, gender, and geographic location. Altogether a more sound reference work than the Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture, it also provides more consistently annotated, relevant, and numerous bibliographic references. Recommended for academic and large public libraries.AAnna Youssefi, Univ. of Houston Lib.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0415263530
• ISBN 13: 9780415263535
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 616
• Editor: Eamonn Rodgers