Lights and shadows in iberian studies

A state of the art ten years later

Abstract

In 2011 the symposium Looking at Iberia from a Comparative European Perspective, funded by the European Science Foundation, was held in Lisbon. A paper entitled “Iberian Studies: a state of the art and future perspectives” was then presented. Ten years after this presentation, it seems to be a good moment to assess in what sense and to what extent Iberian Studies have progressed from what was predicted in 2011. The aim would be to critically reevaluate the current situation of Iberian Studies, after a decade of fruitful work and development, in order to identify strengths and weaknesses. It is also essential to highlight some areas in which there is a clear research deficit, and to counter some routines or inertias which took place during the last ten years, so that Iberian Studies do not, ironically, turn into yet another mechanism to consolidate already established canons, narratives and discourses.