Alternative City, an historical geography of Barcelona

Spain is a deeply complex country. Yet the notion of Spain as a ‘country’ is contested as the modern boundaries of the country contain a number of regional groupings that do not necessarily identify as being Spanish. While the Spanish Constitution recognises the existence of these other cultural ‘nations’ within the modern nation and affords them a degree of autonomy in recognition of their linguistic and cultural differences there remains significant tension between certain regions and the Spanish political centre that has often erupted into violent conflict. This study will focus on the region of Catalonia through a historical geography lens and address the role cultural heritage plays within Catalan society and how it is positioned within the nationalist and separatist movement. Following the end of violent conflict in the Basque country, the independence movement within Catalonia has emerged as the most visible across modern Spain. Within the Catalan separatist movement the histories of the region have been reimagined and integrated into core narratives around independence. Cultural heritage sites and objects have been appropriated to play an intrinsic role in supporting political aims, with a variety of cultural institutions and state-sponsored monumentality playing an active part in the formation and dissemination of particular identity-based narratives. These are centred around the themes of a separate and culturally distinct Catalan nation which has been subject to extended periods of oppression by the varying manifestations of the Spanish state. At various levels, from the subtle to the blatant, heritage institutions are propagating a message of cultural difference and perceived past injustice against the Catalan people, and preform a more consciously active, overt and supportive role in the independence movement.