Luisa Martín Rojo. Conference delivered in the 14th International Symposium of Linguistic Landscapes
This virtual promenade explores urban, semiotic and linguistic landscapes of Ciudad Universitaria in Madrid, focusing on its historical importance during the Spanish Civil War and its later urbanization under Franco’s dictatorship. This route underlines how the campus became a key battlefield during the Defense of Madrid by the Republican Army, in the Civil War. Secondly, it explores how the process of its rebuilding reflect the values and official ideologies of the regime. Through a detail observation of monuments, buildings and inscriptions, this walk discovers all the power techniques used by the regime, even the glorification of the winners, the erasing of dissident voices and the imposition of militaristic and religious values. Analyzing the symbolic and architectural elements of the landscape, this walk sheds light on the complex interaction between politics, ideology and urban space, offering broad perspectives on the long-lasting impact of the regime on urban landscapes and collective memory. Thanks to the open debate, this activity opens the possibility to think about the strategies to preserve the historic memory and promote reconciliation in societies torn apart by social and political conflicts.
