Week 1 (POL 150) A Reflection of Catalonia's Past and Present
June 8, 2025
Catalan Equality & Identity in Barcelona's Architecture
6/2-6/6
On Tuesday we went to the Born district in Barcelona which I thought was very cool. There was a tour guide that showed us ruins that are remains of a neighborhood destroyed in 1714 after the War of the Spanish Succession. At first when looking at the outside it seems like an old market hall, but when you get in it's like a time machine to the Roman empire.
After reading all of the articles scattered around the museum, I learned that the center is made of excavated ruins of the 1714 Siege of Barcelona. This was a big moment in Catalonia's history. I also learned that the king of Spain defeated the Catalan troops and took away it's institutions, language rights, and set up a huge military base to keep the Catalans at bay. This was the start of the Catalan independence narrative.
The space was very preserved and shows that the 1714 defeat is not just a memoir of history, but a symbol of freedoms that were lost by the Catalans. The way it is presented shows how societies remember the past to build identity and unity among the culture. The Born Centre is an example of politics, because of how its history is used to help present day Political Goals. The event of 1714 plays a big role in Catalan's nationalism and pieces like this one are a part of a Political Strategy to keep their nationalism alive.
Visiting the Born Centre helped me understand how history can be used to help culture and remind people of how to revitalize their political power. It showed that political science isn't just about laws and government, it's also about history and stories. The Centre isn't just preserving ruins, it's helping others understand the Catalan's identity and relationship with the Spanish state.
No comments:
Post a Comment