Experiencing Spain: Ecology, Economy, and Socio-Political Transitions

This interdisciplinary and civically engaged program is perfect for adventurous travelers eager to live in Spain and immerse themselves in the country’s rich political, social, historical, economic, and cultural fabric—all while mastering the language.

Most students participating in the program are non-majors in their sophomore and junior years. Applicants must have completed SPAN 205, equivalent or above by spring term 2025. Given the competitive nature of the program, student selection also rests on a combination of factors, such as performance during the interview, GPA, letters of recommendation, application form, language proficiency, and group dynamics.

Message from Faculty Director

My name is Palmar Alvarez-Blanco and I joined the Carleton Spanish Department faculty in 2006. I have a BA from the University of Valladolid (Spain), an MA from Villanova University in Pennsylvania and a PhD from the University of Colorado at Boulder. My commitment to Academic Civic Engagement and Public Scholarship deeply informs my research and teaching practices. For my work in this area, I was recently awarded the Broom Fellow for Public Scholarship.

When we travel to another country, are we tourists or travelers? What are our expectations when traveling? How do we get to know a place, its people, its history, and its culture? The Madrid program that I have designed will walk you through the history of some of the most important cultural, political and historical landmarks that represent the different transitions that Spain has been experiencing in the past 80 years.

During our stay, we become travelers who read, think, observe, and reflect upon political, cultural and social questions connected to each text we read, every person we meet and every place we visit. I like to tell the students who join me in this adventure that by the end of the program, they will understand that Spain is not a country but a nation experiencing multiple crises. It is also a political laboratory for current events. When students travel with me to Spain, they quickly realize that they are not just tourists, but travelers in the true sense of the word.

This study abroad program demands inquisitiveness, open-mindedness, and a sense of adventure, but it will also provide rich cultural experiences and a chance to get a feel for what it’s like to live in another country. Participants must show a genuine interest in learning about Spain and they need to be committed to using Spanish as the only language of communication

This 10-week experience requires intrepid students willing to step out of their comfort zones and leave behind the familiar in order to embark on a journey where questions abound and challenges loom around every corner. You need to be curious and accept these challenges involved in a complex coexistence with different points of view and ways of being in the world.

Throughout the ten weeks, we will spend long periods of time together; hence empathetic people are needed to explore the sense of community, interdependence and mutual support while discovering their own autonomy. A sense of humor is important to be able to laugh at our own mistakes and misinterpretations. In order to experience and embrace every moment, we need to leave behind the perfectionist self and approach each day as a unique opportunity to learn something new.

Palmar Álvarez-Blanco, Broom Fellow for Public Scholarship, Professor of Spanish

Academics

Learning Goals

  • To become travelers who critically engage with and reflect on the ecological, economic, political, cultural and social challenges of life in the 21st-century globalized world.
  • To develop the ability to think systemically and across disciplines.
  • To make real use of your language skills by immersing yourself fully in Spanish society.

18 Credits

Students enroll in regular courses and an additional language skill development course for a total of 18 credits. All credits count towards the Spanish major and minor. In addition to their coursework, students will have the opportunity to participate in academic civic engaged activities.

SPAN 347: Welcome to the Spanish “R”evolution. From the “Spanish Economic Miracle” to the “Commons Movement” (1939-Present) (6 credits)

The ‘Spanish economic miracle’ refers to the period of accelerated economic growth in Francoist Spain from 1959 to 1973. This unprecedented economic expansion laid the groundwork for the rapid development of a capitalist system within a dictatorship, resulting in a profound transformation of Spanish social structure. This course will analyze the underlying factors that supported this structural transformation, the subsequent 2008 financial crisis, the Indignados Movement and the rise of the Commons—a system promoting equitable and sustainable life for all. This course features engaging workshops with expert guest speakers, exciting travel opportunities, and meaningful interactions with diverse social collectives.
Professor: Palmar Álvarez-Blanco

Spanish 340: Madrid: From Urban Planning to Climate Action (1939-2025) (6 credits)

The management and planning of urban areas, in the context of the current climate crisis, have become the major challenge facing contemporary cities. Similarly, other problems such as tourist gentrification and socio-spatial segregation are increasing. In this course, we will explore the transformations experienced by a unique city, Madrid, in its adaptation to political, social, and economic change from 1939 onwards. We will pay special attention to the development of urban planning and mobility policies that focus on ecological sustainability and social well-being. The course is a combination of theoretical and practical classes, including debates, tours of the city itself, and visits to places of interest to understand the urban phenomenon in Madrid from a historical perspective.
Professor: Nuria Rodríguez Martín, PhD

SPAN 280 Artivism and Society: Exploring the Impact of Creativity on Socio-Political and Economic Issues (3 credits)

This course explores how art can address pressing socio-political and economic issues, focusing on its potential to support the building or transformation of societies. Students will examine the role of art understood as a communal activity that facilitates discussion on complex socio-political positions. They will study how art not only reflects society but also inspires change. Additionally, the course includes an overview of the history of art as a social practice in Spain, from 1939 to the present. As part of this course, we will visit museums and other art venues in Madrid, including street art and public-art locations. When possible, we’ll attend screenings and performances.
Professor: Henar Riviere Rios

SPAN 213: Pragmatics and Conversation in Context (3 credits)

Pragmatics studies the relationship between language use and context. Learning about this subfield of linguistics helps us become more aware and critical of the things we say, when/where we say them, why we say them and how we say them. Studying pragmatics can be useful to reflect on both our native language, which we acquire as children without putting a lot of thought into it, and those we learn as second or foreign languages. After going over some of the basic theoretical components of pragmatics, students will use their experiences in Spain as a “laboratory” to reflect on their own interactions and observations during their daily lives abroad. Although the concepts covered can be applied to any language, this class will focus primarily on Spanish, often contrasted with cultural and linguistic differences in English regarding conversational styles, speech acts, politeness and verbal interaction in general.
Professor: Local Instructor

Program Features

Excursions

We will share several 3-day trips and other shorter ones. Each trip will be an opportunity to put everything we study into context. We will also take some day trips, and there will be plenty of time for participants to take some trips on their own.

Housing

Students will stay with families at their homes.

Other

  • Workshops with field experts, artists, film directors, writers and social collectives.
  • Opportunities to do community engagement.
  • Cultural outings and activities (attending concerts, visits to museums, movies, one-day field trips in Madrid, cooking class, etc). 
  • To engage in a participatory video project. Participants in this program will have the unique opportunity to be part of an engaging participatory video project, guided by professionals. Together, we’ll dive into collaborative recording and post-production techniques, creating a dynamic audiovisual documentary that vividly captures and shares the transformative learning experiences of our journey through Spain.

Kyra Helmbold '24 in the winter lights on a rainy night in Madrid.
Sunset viewing the Metropolis Building and mountains in the background
Museum of Art and Culture
Streets of Madrid
Studying under a treehouse
The Palacio de Cristal conservatory, made almost entirely of glass
A short race down the mountain and back to the car in La Coruña, Spain
street art in Madrid
El Escorial
The countryside of Galicia
Barcelona skyscraper
Hanging out watching people go by