Leland and Dorothy Olson Professor of Spanish Iker González-Allende is the author of a new book, “Hombres en Movimiento: Masculinidades Españolas en los Exilios y Emigraciones, 1939-1999,” which explores the impact of exile and migration on Spanish masculinity and identity.
In the book, González-Allende examines the literary output of Spanish male authors over three periods of emigration and exile: the long Republican exile from the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the emigration to Europe during the Spanish economic crisis of the 1960s, and the recent period of emigration of intellectuals to the United States through the end of the 20th century.
Revealing and unpacking recurring patterns of isolation, insecurity, discrimination, and feminization in the host country, González-Allende argues that exile and emigration cause a crisis of powerlessness that can have a destabilizing effect on one’s masculinity. He also examines a countervailing trend among Spanish exiles of these periods — that from the same crisis, some achieve a greater sense of freedom and improve their socioeconomic standing.
Studied works are drawn from authors such as Luis de Castresana, Juan José Domenchina, Juan Gil-Albert, Max Aub, Francisco Ayala, Patricio Chamizo, Víctor Canicio, Terenci Moix, Antonio Muñoz Molina, and Javier Cercas.
