History Assigment

Nicolas

Instructor Name

Course Number

7 April 2019

Title: History Assignment

In the book Space, Place, and Gender, the author Doreen Massey expressed various concepts associated with time and space in the context of social relations, which are inescapably filled with meaning, symbolism, and power. The view of space is hence explained in terms of signification and power CITATION Mas13 \l 1033 (Massey). The identity of an individual is a predominant theme of the author which according to her influences space, time, and place in which they exist. One of her main arguments has to do with how individuals should perceive space and time in the contemporary era that we live in. there have been various theories proposed recently in this regard, however, Massey finds them problematic and suggests an alternative approach that is more relevant to social science in today's era. These theories and debates are organized around the themes of gender, place, and space through which Massey traces how ideas associated with the social structure of place and time developed, and how they relate to gender issues in light of feminist theory. Massey introduces a broader notion of spatiality that arises from the intersection of various social relations to explain the social structures of production. In this regard, her approach to the concept of place is one that is hybrid and open, contested and provisional, relating that to contemporary feminist thought.

In Spain after the repressive rule of Franco ended in 1975, a new wave of collective hedonism spread throughout Spain which came to be known as the ‘La Movida’ movement. It was a movement that was based on a rebellion against tradition, a collective drive towards cultural freedom, and the need to restore democracy. The Cultural Revolution can be equated to the one that occurred in Germany after the Berlin Wall came down. The period of cultural and political awakening was soon followed with an economic boom and an explosion of artistic creativity, which was further fueled by music, drugs, and alcohol. The movida was a youthful expression of hedonism and fun by a generation that had just been liberated from fascism and was thus characterized with artistic activity, freedom of expression and new ideas that marked the golden age of Spanish music(Art Jorge). Madrid became the epicenter of the Movida that soon took on a role of an identity within art, music and post-modern thought; explaining why musicians continue to be inspired by the movement even today.

The popular 1950s film Wings of Desire presents a thoughtful outlook of Germany’s past. It was developed in a period in which the French New Wave began to influence German Cinema. The film presents a very personal and artistic view of human emotions at the time when Germany was immersed in conflict and crisis. The clip provides a preview of the expressions and emotions captured by the artist, which for today’s audience provides a deep insight into the times that today’s generation would barely recognize if not preserved in films like this. In this regard, Ward correctly argues that the film serves as a repository of Germany’s past. The angels shown in the film, who come to experience human desires expose to the viewer the city’s wounds and pain, while reacting to the atmosphere and environment that characterized that period of German history, which otherwise would be difficult to sense from written historical records alone.

Works Cited

Anja Plovanic. Wings Of Desire Trailer. 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwo122meoAA. Accessed 7 Apr 2019.

Art Jorge. Exploring Underground Madrid (Full Documentary). 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V48a-hrWh5s&feature=youtu.be&t=2s. Accessed 7 Apr 2019.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Massey, Doreen. Space, Place, and Gender. 1st. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 2013.