Flamenco nation : the construction of Spanish national identity

Author / Creator

Holguin, Sandie Eleanor author

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Online

Physical

Summary

How did flamenco - a song and dance form associated with both a despised ethnic minority in Spain and a region frequently derided by Spaniards - become so inexorably tied to the country's identity?...

How did flamenco - a song and dance form associated with both a despised ethnic minority in Spain and a region frequently derided by Spaniards - become so inexorably tied to the country's identity? The author focuses on the history of the form and how reactions to the performances transformed from disgust to reverence over the course of two centuries. The author brings forth an important interplay between regional nationalists and image makers actively involved in building a tourist industry. Over time, entrepreneurs came to promote flamenco performances as folkloric attractions that could stimulate the economy. Tourists and Spaniards alike began to cultivate flamenco as a representation of the country's culture. This study reveals not only how Spain designed and promoted its own symbol but also how this cultural form took on a life of its own.

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