Newcastle University

Background

I studied a BA in Spanish Studies (2002) followed by a BA in English Studies (2003) at the Universitat de València (Spain). Then I took an MA in Latin American Literature at the University of Georgia (USA). During those two years (2003-2005) I worked as a graduate teaching assistant and taught Spanish language modules and introduction to Spanish and Latin American literature. When I graduated in 2005 I moved back to València where I worked for two years (2005-2007) as resident coordinator for the study abroad programme “UGA en España” run by the University of Georgia in partnership with the Universitat de València.

I began my PhD at the University of Nottingham in September 2007 where I also worked as graduate teaching assistant for three years while I was researching for my thesis “Vanguardismo y Humorismo Gráfico en Crisis: La Guerra Civil Española (1936-1939) y la Revolución Cubana (1959-1961)” which I completed in 2010. From 2008 to 2010 I was a part-time lecturer at Nottingham Trent University. I joined Newcastle University in September 2010.

Memberships

• LASA Latin American Studies Assciation
• SLAS Society for Latin American Studies 
• AHGBI Association of Hispanists of Great Britain and Ireland

Honours and Awards

• 2005 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award. The University of Georgia (US)

Esteem indicators

• Reviewer for Bulletin of Latin American Research
• Reviewer for Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies 
• Reviewer for Confluenze. Rivista di Studi Iberoamericani
• Reviewer for Vida Hispánica
• External examiner for European and International Doctorate with the Universidad Autónoma (Madrid, Spain)

Languages

• Spanish: native
• Catalan: native
• English: near native
• Italian: good reading and listening abilities
• Portuguese: good reading and listening abilities

Other

• I participated in the University of Valencia’s project "Experiencia Erasmus 25 años/voces" to reflect on the success of the Erasmus programme since it began 25 years ago. I recorded a short video where I talk about my Erasmus experience and how that year abroad made it possible to develop a professional career in the UK, leading to my current post at Newcastle University. To watch the video, click here 
• I launched the Year Abroad Multilingual Magazine FLYING SOLO in September 2012 devoted to the student’s year abroad experience. Click here to read the first issue

Research Interests

My research has a strong emphasis on cultural history (visual popular culture), mainly the Spanish Civil War and the Cuban Revolution. I have approached both periods of change through the gaze of artists with vanguard aesthetic projects (Miguel Mihura and "La Ametralladora" in Spain; Rafael Fornés and "El Pitirre" in Cuba) facing political commitment pressures. I am equally interested in Latin American cultural studies (power relations, high/low culture discussions), mass media

The other main area of research is Latin American literature, with particular interest in Peru and Cuba.

Other research interests: gender, queer theory, detective fiction, memory studies, exile.

Current Work

Edited volume on Collective memory and Latin American Comics (with Dr. Paulo Drinot and Dr. James Scorer)

Documentary based on the life and work of the Spanish-Chilean intellectual José Ricardo Morales. 

I am revising for publication the manuscript based on my Phd Thesis “Vanguardismo y Humorismo Gráfico en Crisis: La Guerra Civil Española (1936-1939) y la Revolución Cubana (1959-1961).”    

Funding

• 2011 Santander Travel Scheme (Research trip to Chile - April 2011).
• 2009 SLAS Postgraduate Travel Grant (Research trip to Cuba, March – April 2009).
• 2004 Tinker Grant. Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (research trip to Peru).
  

UNDERGRADUATE modules

Module leader for: 

SPA1019: Introduction to History, Culture and Society of the Iberian Peninsula. http://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/modules/module/SPA1019 

LAS4006: Latin American Comics: Identity, Politics and Society.  http://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/modules/module/LAS4006/  

Contributor for:  

SPA2025: Representations of Revolution, Dictatorship and Democracy in Latin America.  http://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/modules/module/SPA2025/ 

 SPA4061: Level D Spanish Advanced Writing.  http://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/modules/module/SPA4061/  

LAS1010: An Introduction to Latin America.  http://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/modules/module/LAS1010/ 

SML1022: Introduction to Cultural Studies http://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/modules/module/SML1022/   

POSTGRADUATE modules

Module leader for: 

LAS8102: Narratives of Cultural Identity (with Dr. Nick Morgan)

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/modules/module/LAS8102/ 

Contributor for: 

LAS 8103: The Shaping of Latin America II: cultural and historical perspectives

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/modules/module/LAS8103/ 

• Catalá-Carrasco JL. La transgresión de la tradición: La noche es virgen (1997) de Jaime Bayly. TONOS: Revista Electrónica de Estudios Filológicos 2012, 23.
• Catalá-Carrasco JL. Hulme, Peter (2011). Cuba’s Wild East. A Literary Geography of Oriente. Liverpool University Press (Liverpool). Bulletin of Latin American Research 2012. Submitted.
• Catalá-Carrasco JL. Pérez Firmat, G., 'The Havana Habit', Yale University Press: New Haven, 2010. Bulletin of Latin American Research 2013. In Press.
• Catala-Carrasco J. From Suspicion to Recognition? 50 Years of Comics in Cuba. Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies 2011, 20(2), 139-160.
• Catala-Carrasco J. Cuban Humour Magazines and Comics During the Special Period: An Overview. International Journal of Comic Art 2011, 13(1), 208-234.
• Catala-Carrasco JL. España, Año Cero. La Construcción Simbólica del Franquismo (Zira Box). Vida Hispánica 2011, (43).
• Catala-Carrasco JL. La alteridad sexual en Las dos caras del deseo (1994) de Carmen Ollé. Chasqui: Revista de Literatura Latinoamericana 2009, 38(1).
• Catala-Carrasco JL. Costumbrismo y cubanidad en la historieta ‘José Dolores. La creación criolla’. Revista Latinoamericana de Estudios Sobre la Historieta 2009, 9(33).
• Catala-Carrasco JL. Costumbrismo and cubanity in Rafael Fornés. International Journal of Comic Art 2008, 10(2), 495-518.
• Catala-Carrasco JL. El humor gráfico revolucionario en Cuba. El camino hacia un arte militante. Revista Latinoamericana de Estudios Sobre la Historieta 2008, 8(29).
• Catala-Carrasco JL. Eclecticismo y diversidad en Los mares del Sur: Un texto abierto a varios niveles de lectura. Espéculo 2008, (37).
• Catala-Carrasco JL. “Utilidades prácticas de la historieta en las clases de español como lengua extranjera”. Revista Latinoamericana de Estudios Sobre la Historieta 2008, 8(31).
• Elvy JC, Catala-Carrasco JL [trans.]. Elpidio Valdés. Un espejo de nacionalismo, identidad y memoria histórica en Cuba. Revista Latinoamericana de Estudios Sobre la Historieta 2008, 8(30).
• Catala-Carrasco JL. La historieta 13, Rue del Percebe en la clase de E/LE. Foro de Profesores de E/LE, IV 2009.
• Catala-Carrasco JL. El cómic en la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera. Foro de Profesores de E/LE, III 2007, 23-32.
• Catala-Carrasco JL. Historias Mínimas. Chasqui: Revista de Literatura Latinoamericana 2003, 32(2).