Module manager: Peter Watson
Email: P.J.Watson@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
| SPPO2010 | Practical Lang Skill Spanish 2 |
| SPPO2220 | Spanish Language Skills B1/B2 |
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module explores representations of icons and stars of 20th and 21st Century Spain and Latin America in fields such as media, film, sport, visual art, music and literature, through diverse primary sources with a view to addressing issues such as their role in social, political and cultural change during and after their lifetimes. Using the lens of cultural studies, it examines the lives, ideas and legacies of notable political leaders, artists, and figures from popular culture while deconstructing their representation in cultural production in the Spanish-speaking world and beyond. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
This module aims to enable students to gain an understanding of the ways the images of icons and stars can acquire different meanings in a variety of media during and after their lifetimes. The module aims to help students demonstrate the capacity for critical thought and the skills necessary to describe and analyse different periods of development in history with reference to key case studies in sustained debate in class. We aim to show how different ‘texts’ (e.g. art, film, documentary, books, testimonies, body performance, media narratives) can be analysed to explore the construction of symbols and meanings by and for different audiences.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Evaluate the way images and icons can acquire different meanings in popular Spanish and Latin American culture and being aware of their modes of production
2. Appraise different periods of socio-political development in history and culture through diverse texts with reference to key case studies
3. Critically analyse links between political identities, spectacles, and power, in Spain and Spanish-speaking Latin America
4. Develop a well-structured and evidenced based argument that is supported by relevant scholarly debates and adheres to the standard academic conventions
5. Communicate effectively ideas, information, and arguments, tailoring your communication strategy to different media and potential audiences
6. Collaborate effectively as part of a team to plan, design, and produce a digital output
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Film Screenings | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| Lecture | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Practical | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 164 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 36 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Students will provide an outline of the group project, which will receive written feedback.
Students may also be set unassessed tasks in advance of workshops and seminars, which will allow for a more informal monitoring of their process and feedback.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Group Project | 60 |
| Coursework | Essay | 40 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Resits for the group project will be in same format. Students will produce an episode for the same series that they originally planned in their group or have the option to produce a new standalone episode.
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team