Program
NEH Summer Institute for College and University
Professors
June 30–July 25, 2008 • Barcelona (Spain)
This NEH Summer Institute was held between June 30 – July 25 in Barcelona, Spain. For the duration of the institute, most participants stayed in accommodations that had been arranged by the directors. The majority of the events took place at the Palau del Llocticent (Lieutenant's Palace), in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. This sixteenth-century Viceroy's palace was constructed by Antoni Carbonell, adjacent to the city's royal palace and cathedral. It was home to the Archive of the Crown of Aragon from the eighteenth century through the 1990s. The Archive of the Crown of Aragon is one of Europe's premier archival collections for the Middle Ages. Formally constituted by James II in the early fourtheenth century, it contains documents from the seventh through the sixteenth century, including near complete series of royal chancery and fiscal records. The Palau del Lloctinent is now a state-of-the-art conference facility administered by Archive of the Crown of Aragon for the Spanish Ministry of Culture.
The Institute program was divided into four one-week units, each featuring two distinguished Faculty members. Each Faculty member delivered one plenary lecture, conducted two seminars, and participated in a range of activities—tours, receptions, and a working dinner—which assured maximum interaction with the participants.
The 24 participants in our Institute came from 13 states and the District of Columbia, from large research institutions and small teaching colleges. They spanned all ranks of the profession (from Full to Visiting Assistant and Adjunct Professors) and represented a range of departments: History, Art, Jewish Studies, Languages and Literatures (English, French, Italian, Spanish), and Theology.
Approximately four weeks before the start of the Institute, the participants were provided with a bibliography of readings assigned by the Faculty members. In Barcelona, our program was designed to encourage conversations not only among specialists but across disciplines and fields of linguistic expertise. To that end, the 24 participants were divided into two cohorts of 12 (for seminars with each of the visiting faculty members), and into discussion groups of four, which met weekly for conversation about their individual projects. Over the course of the Institute, each participant had the opportunity to attend a working dinner with one of the visiting Faculty members, and our weekly plenary sessions provided an opportunity for parrticipants and faculty to converse informally.
A volume featuring selected essays based on faculty presentations and participant projects is in preparation.
This program would not have been possible were it not for the generous support of the National Endowment for the Humanities and other sponsors and supporters in Catalonia, the UK, and the USA.
The Institute officially began on June 30, 2008. The majority of the participants and the first week’s visiting faculty arrived in Barcelona the day before. Unless they had made other arrangements, most checked into the Residencia de Investigadors, a residence picked by the directors to accommodate participants for the initial days of the institute. The first day included welcome and orientation speeches from the directors, laying out the logistical and intellectual terrain of the Institute. The first day also included a walking tour of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, and ended with an opening reception at the Reial Academia de Bones Lletres de Barcelona, sponsored by the Institut Europeu de la Mediterrania.
An opening reception took place at the Palau Dalmau, a fifteenth-century palace in cenral Barcelona, which is the seat of the Reial Academia. The Academia was formally incorporated in 1752, but goes back to 1700, and is the most prestigioius literary-cultural association of Catalonia. The Summer Institute was formally inaugurateed by the Directors, along with Dr. Senén Florensa (Director-General of the European Institute of the Mediterranean, Barcelona), Albert Torra (Secretary, Arxiu de la Corona d’Aragó), and Dr. Pere Molas Ribalta, (Professor of Contemporary History, University of Barcelona & Director, Reial Acadèmia de Bones Lletres de Barcelona).
After the first day, participants moved to their “permanent” home for the duration of the Institute, the beach-side Campus del Mar. The first week of the seminar established a regular pattern of lectures and seminars involving visiting faculty, and featured Professors Peregrine Horden and Ross Brann. Professor Horden gave a lecture titled “The Mediterranean and Europe in Late Antiquity: Globalization?” and Professor Brann lectured on “Mediterranean Journeys, Real and Imagined.” Participants went on a walking tour of the Barcelona's medieval commercial core, and received a tour of Barcelona Museu Maritim, with Enric Garcia Domingo (Head of Documentation and Research Director, Drassanes Reials de Barcelona), and Albert Cubeles (Researcher & Historian, Museum of the City of Barcelona). Albert Torra gave a presentation entiteld “An Introduction to the Documentary Sources of the Crown of Aragon” and introduced participants to a range of documentary materials. Professors Maria Teresa Ferrer i Mallol (CSIC) and Roser Salicru i Lluch (CSIC) also gave lectures, entitled “Barcelona Commerce in the 12th to 14th centuries: Expansion and Protectionism” and “Islam and Christendom in Late Medieval Western Mediterranean: A Politico-Diplomatic Overview”, respectively. In addition to attending the seminars led by Professors Horden and Brann, participants also broke into smaller working groups, which began meeting in the first week. The week concluded with a Friday afternoon plenary session of informal discussion, and a reception featuring Carlos López Rogríguez (Director, Arxiu de la Corona d’Aragó).
The second week featured Professors Julio Samso and Richard Bulliet as visiting faculty, who ran seminars gave lectures titled “Scientific Transmissions in the Western Mediterranean” and “Technology Transfer: Links and Delinks,” respectively. Mid-week, participants went on a walking tour of the city of Girona, including special visits to the Museu d’Art de Girona, featuring Carme Martinell (Curator), and Girona's Jewish History Museum. the Centre Bonastruc ca Porta (sponsored by the Patronat Municipal "Call de Girona").
The third week featured Professors David Niremberg and Maria Rosa Menocal as visiting faculty. Professor Niremberg lectured on “Multi-culturalism gone Bad? The emergence of "Raza" in fifteenth-century Spain” and Professor Menocal on “Poetry as an Act of History.” Participants were given a guided tour of the rare book collection of the libary of the University of Barclona, under the care of Neus Verger (Librarian of Manuscripts and Special Collections). which was followed by a reception hosted by Mercè Comes (Vice Dean of Research of the Faculty of Phililogy, Universitat de Barcelona). The week concluded with a plenary session and reception hosted by the Humanities division at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra amd featuring Prof. Maria Morràs (Vice-Rector of Graduate Studies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra).
The fourth and final week of the Institute featured Professors Jonathan Bloom and Anthony Cutler as visiting faculty, lecturing on “Paper in the Mediterranean World: 1000–1500” and “Sharing and Refusing in Byzantium and Medieval Islam. Art as a Sign of Cultural Negotiation,” respectively. On July 25, the final day of the Institute, participants presented and discussed their proposed projects. Directors Brian Catlos and Sharon Kinoshita gave a final presentation titled “The Mediterranean in the Past, and the Mediterranean Seminar in the Future.” Participants filled out and submitted their evaluations, and then attended a closing reception at the Reial Academia de Bones Lletres de Barcelona, sponsored by the European Institute of the Mediterranean, where they received their certificates of participation.
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Facilities & Orientation
The stipend for overseas NEH
Summer Institutes is $3000. Prior to acceptance participants must agree to
reimburse the organizers for pre-paid
accommodation (approximately $1400) with their first stipend installment before
the program commences. Airfare to Barcelona varies according to time of travel,
point of departure, and airline and route taken. Participants traveling from
the US can expect to spend $800-1500 for airfare. Successful applicants are
urged to make transport arrangements as soon as they have been notified of
their acceptance.
In recent years Barcelona has
become one of Europe’s most expensive cities, a fact which has been aggravated
by the deterioration of the dollar. At time of writing (Fall 2007) 1 Euro (€) is approximately $1.44 USD. By
way of comparison, a coffee in Barcelona may cost €1.50, a cocktail €5, a
three-course lunch €8-15, a mid-range restaurant dinner €20, a movie
€6–8, taxi from the airport to the city center €30, train ticket from the
airport to the city center, €3.50, 10 public transport tickets €6.50. Rooms at
the Campus del Mar residence are equipped with kitchens; shopping sensibly, one
could buy groceries for about €60 per week.
Single-occupancy self-catering accommodation has been reserved for
each participant; as a condition for acceptance participants must agree to
reimburse the program for the cost of this accommodation. Participants wishing to use alternative
accommodation must nevertheless pay
for the accommodation which has been reserved for them. During summer it is difficult and expensive to find affordable accommodation; the total price of
(approx.) $1400 is at least one-third of the cost of comparable hotel
accommodation in Barcelona. Participants who wish to stay before and/or after
the Institute are encouraged to contact RESA,
the organization which has arranged our accommodation. Participants with specific
needs regarding access, etc., should
contact the organizers immediately after acceptance.
We will be using two
residences: the Residencia de
Investigadores (June 29-July 1) and, thereafter, the Campus del Mar (July 1-26). Both are located in
Barcelona’s Old City, a short walk from the Institute location and most
libraries and archives.
Residencia de Investigadors
c/ Hospital, 64
08001 Barcelona
+34 934 438 610
Location: The Residencia,
the official residence of the Consejo
Superior de Investigaciones Científicas is located a short stroll from the famous avenue Las
Ramblas in the heart of the Raval. It is
next door to the former Hospital de Sant Pau (founded 1401), which currently
houses the Biblioteca Nacional de Catalunya. The MACBA (contemporary art museum), CCCB (cultural center) and the philology and
history departments of the Universitat de
Barcelona are nearby, as is the famous La Boqueria market. This Raval is a lively, colorful old Barcelona barrio. Now shaking off its former reputation as a haunt of
prostitutes and marginal types it is becoming a dynamic, culturally exciting
neighborhood. Like the rest of
Barcelona, the Raval is safe - far
safer to walk in than most American cities - nevertheless, care and good sense
must be exercised here after dark.
Facilities: Rooms have air-conditioning, TV, phone and full bath.
Breakfast is included.
For more information
regarding the Residencia, click here,
and here.
Campus del Mar
Passeig Salvat Papasseit, 4,
08003 Barcelona
34 93 390 4000
Location: The Campus
del Mar was built in 2002 as a residence for the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. It is located adjacent to the beach and a park, between Barceloneta, a traditional fisherman’s neighborhood, and the
modern Vila
Olímpica. It is a short walk to
the La
Ribera neighborhood, including El Born, famous for its shopping and nightlife.
Facilities: Rooms have a full bath, kitchen, TV, phone, and
internet connection; they are not air-conditioned. Rooms are cleaned every three days. In addition there are
smoking areas, and a gym. Breakfast is available (not included).
Using archives and
libraries in Barcelona: Most archives
and libraries require official ID; you may be asked to show your passport.
Library and archive hours vary; in July some open only during the morning
(until 2pm).
Archivo de la
Corona de Aragón: c/
Almogàvers, 77. This is one of Europe’s great medieval archives. It has an
extensive and diverse body of documentation from the eighth to the seventeenth
centuries, including material on the Crown of Aragon, Italy, France, North
Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Científicas: c/Egipcíaques,
13. Spain’s national research council has a branch in Barcelona, the Institució Milà i Fontanals, which has an
important Department
of Medieval Studies, of Musicology, and History of Science.
The library is available for our use and has an excellent and up-to-date
collection of material in Castilian, Catalan, English and other European
languages; the catalog is on-line.
Biblioteca Nacional de Catalunya: c/
Hospital, 56. Housed in the city’s medieval hospital, the national library
specializes in Catalan and Spanish publications and also has manuscripts. A
partial catalog is on-line.
Universitat Pompeu Fabra: Barcelona’s most modern university has an excellent
up-to-date library with a very good collection in English. The main
library is located beside Vila Olímpica.
Universitat de Barcelona: This library has several branches, including Literature and Philology and Philosophy,
Geography and History, both located in or near the Old City. The collection
is particularly strong for Catalan and Spanish history and letters; there is
also a manuscript collection.
Universitat
Autònoma de Barcelona Bellaterra,
Cerdanyola del Vallès. This library is located outside
the city; a train journey of about 30min.
The Catalan universities have a consolidated on-line
catalog.
Other archives and
libraries: Other important local
archives include: the Cathedral Archive, Notarial Archive, and Municipal
Archive.
Happy Books (Pelai, 2 & Portal de l'Angel) - travel books, maps, inexpensive art books
FNAC (plaça de Catalunya) - wide range of books in Spanish & Catalan, some in English
La Central (Mallorca, 237) - mega book store with excellent history and lit sections in Spanish, Catalan & English
Laie (Pau Claris, 85) excellent books shop cafe
Casa del Llibre (Paseo de Gracia) Spanish & Catalan, good for art, history, lit
Proa (Rosselló 212) Catalan literature and culture
Alibri (formerly Herder; Balmes 26) Catalan literature and history
Institut d'Estudis Catalans (adjacent to the Biblioteca Nacional) books on Catalan culture, history, literature and archeology
The ACA also has some collections of documents available.
Language: The two official languages in Barcelona are Spanish
(Castilian) and Catalan; most people speak both. Travelers’ tales of Catalans
reacting aggressively to foreigners who speak Spanish are with few exceptions
“urban myth.” Previously French was the foreign language of choice, but this is
no longer the case. English is more common than before, but in many
circumstances you will encounter people who do not speak any English. Although
the language of instruction of the Institute is English, you will find yourself
in many situations (outside of program time, at libraries and archives) where
you may need interact with people who speak no English. You should be prepared
for such contingencies, and although we can assist in special circumstances, it
will be participants’ responsibility to manage their communication needs on a
daily basis.
Travel and Arrival: A number of airlines serve Barcelona, but there are
few direct routes from North America. To compare prices and routes, try and online consolidator such as Orbitz, but check with the airline itself
before buying to see if they offer a better price. Flying from North America
you will arrive at the Barcelona airport;
coming from Europe on a discount airline you may arrive at Girona. The most convenient way to get from the Barcelona airport to
the Residencia is by taxi (approximately €30). From Girona, take the airport
bus to Barcelona’s Estació del Nord and take a taxi from there (approx.: €6–8).
Moving around Barcelona: The official map of Barcelona is online; you can find information about
public transport here. The residences, Institute and most
libraries and archives are within easy walking distance of each other.
Communication: The residences have full internet access in each
room. To call the US from
Barcelona dial 001 before the area code (dial 01134 from the US to Spain).
Convenience stores and telephone kiosks sell pre-paid phone cards; this is the
most economical way to call (typically €0.03/min). Your US cell phone may not
work in Barcelona and/or you may have to pay expensive roving fees. You should
consider a pre-paid phone, which can be purchased from a number of local
providers.
Safety, Lost/Stolen Items: As with
most European cities, Barcelona is far safer than the great majority of US
cities; there is almost no violent crime. However, it is a major tourist destination and minor property crimes
(purse-snatching and pick-pocketing) are not uncommon. Good sense should be exercised and
simple precautions taken. For example, women should wear bags and purses across
the shoulder, and handbags and knapsacks should not be left on chairs or on the
ground beside you if you are sitting an outdoor bar or café. It is recommended
that you check that your laptop, camera and other personal items are covered by
your home or travel insurance. You
should also keep regular backups of your digital data, which is likely to be
unrecoverable in the event of an equipment theft. If you suffer a loss, obtain
a police report immediately from the Policia Nacional (c/ Nou de la Rambla,
76-78) in order to be able to obtain reimbursement from your insurance company.
Banking and Money: It is generally not necessary to use travelers
checks in Barcelona. Check with your bank to make sure your debit card will
function in Spain, and advise your credit card company that you will be abroad,
but beware extra service charges which you may be subject to. For current
exchange rates, check here.
Medical Insurance: Check with your insurance company to verify your
coverage. You may need extra
coverage, or to obtain travel insurance from a third-party provider (such as Travelex).
Packing for your Trip: The summer in
Barcelona is very warm and tends to be humid; the Mediterranean will be warm
enough to swim in, and the beach is well-cared for and safe. Spaniards dress
more formally than Americans, particularly in academic and business settings;
you should pack an outfit suitable for our opening and closing receptions
(e.g.: jacket and tie for men).
The Spanish Day: The Barcelona schedule may take some adjusting
to. Breakfast is usually light:
coffee and a pastry. Normal business hours begin at 9 or 10am, with a snack
break taken at 11am or noon. Lunch, the main meal, is typically taken 2–4pm. There is no custom of a siesta. Work hours resume at 4 or 5pm and run until between
7 and 9pm (depending on the type of establishment). A light dinner is eaten at
9 or 10pm. People go for drinks from 11pm–3am. Many restaurants now open
earlier for lunch and dinner, catering to a public made up of overwhelmingly of
tourists. Many restaurants close on Mondays, and stores and businesses often
keep shorter hours on Saturdays. Banks may only be open in the morning (until
2pm). Few businesses open on Sunday, apart from tourist-oriented stores and
corner shops.
Extracurricular: Barcelona is the funnest city in Europe (if not the
world). There is a proliferation
of bars, restaurants, clubs and stores of every kind. It has one-of-a-kind monuments and museums, and a continuous
series of festivals. The Grec cultural festival brings world-class dance, theatre and music to the city
throughout the month of July – tickets should be bought in advance. Many
cinemas feature original language (VO) films. Get to know the city ahead of
time by consulting the official tourism
site and buying a good guidebook; Brian Catlos recommends either the Rough
Guides series or his own Art/Shop/Eat
Barcelona. Once in Barcelona
complete entertainment listings and a restaurant guide can be found in the Guia del Ocio (published
Thursdays, €1.25); it has a section of highlights in English.