La diplomazia culturale: il caso di Spagna e Catalogna
open access | peer reviewed
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edited by
- Ivan Lo Giudice - Universitat de les Illes Balears - email
Abstract
The anthology highlights the pivotal role of literature and culture in twentieth-century Spain and Catalonia. The authors present five case studies that allow readers to observe cultural diplomacy in action during one of the most dramatic periods in recent Spanish history: the Civil War from 1936 to 1939; Franco’s dictatorship, which resulted in countless casualties and disappeared individuals; and the persecution of languages and cultural minorities within the country. In the first chapter, Enric Bou discusses Josep Carner, a prominent Catalan poet who spent most of his life abroad. Carner began his career in the Spanish diplomatic corps in 1921 but later abandoned it to remain faithful to the Republican cause. Chapter two focuses on Joan Estelrich Artigues, a Majorcan cultural mediator who promoted Catalan literature and culture abroad. Chapter three introduces Ernesto Dethorey, a translator and journalist based in Sweden who supported the Spanish Republic and dedicated his life to denouncing Franco’s crimes in the media. In Stockholm, Dethorey came into contact with members of the Swedish Academy. In the fourth chapter, Patrizio Rigobon discusses the Italian translator Cesare Giardini, focusing especially on his translations of two Catalan works and their political implications in Fascist Italy: La Nacionalitat Catalana by Enric Prat de la Riba and Entorn del feixisme italià: Meditacions i commentaris sobre problemes de política contemporània by Francesc Cambó. In the final chapter, Giovanni Cattini analyzes progressive Catalan Catholics and three specific events: the Montserrat festivals (1947), the 35th Eucharistic Week (1952), and the Mediterranean colloquiums. The chapter recalls Giorgio La Pira, who was a prominent figure in Italian politics at that time.
Keywords Ciarlantini • Cambó • Giorgio La Pira • Miguel Angel Asturias • Nazariantz • Nobel Prize • Dictatorship • Josep Carner • Estelrich • Soft power • Alpes • Franco • Joan Estelrich • Giardini • Francesc Cambó • Spanish civil war • Christian Democracy • Exile • Jocs Florals • Cesare Giardini • Pablo Neruda • Transnationals relations • Manuel Irujo • Spanish dictatorship • Prat de la Riba • Catalan Nationalism • Anti-francoism • Ernesto Dethorey • Literary circulation • Cultural mediation
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/978-88-6969-947-4 | e-ISBN 978-88-6969-947-4 | Published Oct. 27, 2025 | Language it, ca
Copyright © 2025 Ivan Lo Giudice. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.