Transnationality in the Hispanic world
The EU-funded TRANSIT (Transnationality at large: The transnational dimension of Hispanic culture in the 20th and 21st centuries) project supported international mobility to advance knowledge on Hispanic culture through academic exchange. The undertaking included eight research centres studying contemporary Hispanic and Latin American culture, especially regarding the transnational dimension. Particular emphasis was placed on how Hispanic cultural identities are (re-)shaped under the pressure of transnationalisation. The research covered four main areas: space, memory, literary discourse and criticism, and audiovisual media. The project highlighted the case of the Hispanic world for scholars involved in transnational studies. It boosted the field as a whole by drawing attention to the cultural dimension of transnationality. Many publications were produced on the topic, including a Special Issue of the European Review titled ‘Transnational Memory in the Hispanic World’. Among its outcomes, a project documentary titled ‘Interrupted Memory/la memoria interrumpida’ (on Argentine and Chilean post-dictatorial memories) premiered at the Latin American Film Festival in Havana, Cuba in December 2013. A workshop and two international conferences added to the consortium’s network, bringing in major specialists on the topic of transnationalism. Nearly 90 transatlantic visits between Europe and (Latin) America were realised. These enabled researchers to attend scientific meetings, take part in doctoral and postdoctoral training activities, and offer guest lectures as well as postgraduate courses at partner universities. International collaboration and mobility improved the visibility of TRANSIT’s research teams and strengthened the position of postdoctoral researchers in the field. Guest lectures enhanced postdoctoral and postgraduate education at participating institutions, and seminars successfully introduced the paradigm of transnational thinking in Hispanic studies. Several project spin-offs have begun taking the findings to new areas of thought, ranging from film festival culture and translation studies to digital memory. TRANSIT’s efforts and outcomes will impact the academic world through research excellence and enhanced opportunities for younger researchers. Finally, as Europe is a major transnational continent that relies on cultural affinities and complex issues such as migration and multiple citizenship, the outcomes of TRANSIT are of direct relevance to Europe.
Keywords
Transnationality, Hispanic, TRANSIT, cultural identities, migration, citizenship
