Hispanic studies bolster the Arts at Warwick

Warwick is set to bolster its complement of Arts studies as it introduces Hispanic Studies to its range of courses. With many universities cutting back on language courses Warwick is bucking the trend to offer Hispanic Studies for the academic year beginning in 2013. Alison Ribeiro de Menezes has been appointed as the new Hispanic Chair and takes up her post this month along with two further academics: Fabienne Viala and Kirsty Hooper. Their objective is to establish a series of innovative degree courses and combinations in Hispanic Studies and other languages, with a strong cross-cultural and transatlantic focus. They will cover literature from 13th Century to the present, and offer a solid grounding in Hispanic culture and literature, along with advanced language study to equip students to work with Spanish professionally and to spark their enthusiasm for other perspectives on the world. The department will build on the University's existing strong links in this field with writers such as Mario Vargas Llosa, the eminent 2010 Nobel Prize Winner for Literature who recently presented a Distinguished Lecture at Warwick Arts Centre to launch his new book, The Dream of the Celt . Alison is looking forward to the challenges and enjoyment of setting up the new department and explained her key aims: - "My particular research interests are cultural memory in contemporary Spain, Portugal and Latin America, and I shall be developing this in a series of workshops and symposia over the next few years, looking to bring writers and academics whose work touches on this to Warwick.