In the Spring of 2022, for our Hispanic Studies 390 course, "Gibraltar/Campo de Gibraltar: Vidas fronterizas/Border Lives", students had a hands-on research experience in Gibraltar and its environs. Below are my introductory remarks. The real stories are told by our student researchers, available on the Student Projects pages on this site. The text of each project is written in Spanish but note that Author's Reflection is written in English.

Francie Cate-Arries, William & Mary

Three years and one global pandemic later, in March 2022 during spring break, that trip became reality. Thirteen curious, intrepid students and I met up with co-director Arantza for a remarkable week, traversing borders between Gibraltar and Spain, gathering information for the multimedia Story Map projects featured here.

Once on the ground, each student, pursuing some facet of the course material—related to questions of state sovereignty, citizenship and belonging, up to the age of Brexit; integration and exclusion, migrations, movements, and minority communities; the politics of language, multilingual imaginaries, cross-cultural practices and traditions—tracked his or her selected research dossier topic.

Our internationally-based field work enhanced our W&M on-campus study through the group’s encounters in situ with unforgettable people and places

San Roque author and historian Antonio Pérez Girón’s expert explanation of local artist Luis Ortega Bru’s Exodus, depicting18th c. Spanish-born refugees who fled Gibraltar when the British took possession of the Rock in 1713, a history of displacement captured in the city of San Roque's motto, the city where the town of Gibraltar lives.

(fotos Galiardo; McFarland)

Angel Sáez, Director of the Algeciras-based high school, IES Los Pinos, provided a rousing account of how residents of Campo de Gibraltar region in ancient Roman times prepared against attacks by groups from the nearby shores of northern Africa. From the site of the Roman ruins of Carteia, Professor Angel transported the group through time to key moments of memorable sieges and coastal encounters that reminded us of the remarkably close proximity of the nation states that now form this perimeter: Gibraltar (UK), Campo de Gibraltar (Spain) and Morocco. (fotos Galiardo; García; Figueroa)

At the Fundación de Solidaridad Amaranta in Algeciras, Ilargi Mayor Alforja (center) gave an impassioned presentation of the plight of migrant women who arrive on the shores of Campo de Gibraltar from African nations, seeking a better life for their families. Ms. Mayor Alforja outlined the complexity of immigration law, in-country challenges for women who are often victims of trafficking and violence, and the remarkable resilience of this community, captured in the center's slogan, Mujeres que no se rinden (Women Who Never Give Up(foto Figueroa)

This faculty-mentored “Study Away” research initiative was possible thanks to the funding and fellowship support provided, on the one hand, by W&M’s Reves Center (with expert coordination by Marina LaMastro and Sylvia Mitterndorfer)—and, on the other, by W&M alumni whose visionary gifts created the financial means to help make such an experience a reality. We are especially grateful for the Sharon Philpott (’85) -Marta Pérez research fellowship (est. 2010) and for the incredibly generous gift from Carol Vaughn (‘82) and the late Dave Vaughn (’83). The students and I are also indebted to W&M’s Mike Blum and Jada Bonds at the Studio for Teaching and Learning Innovation for their technological expertise, and for working on the project with us.

My collaboration with Arantza Galiardo was a career highlight. Being in the company of not only Arantza but also her father, José Emilio Galiardo, a long-time and generous contact for my Cádiz-based research about Franco repression, was an double treat for me. I am grateful for José Emilio's contributions to the success of our program.

I invite you to accompany each student’s foray into Gibraltar (UK) and the Campo de Gibraltar (Spain) through the Story Map s/he has created, thirteen “ways of seeing” the complex cultural layers of lands and lives on Spain’s southern border.