What is 'Hispanic Studies'? This companion gives a concise and accessible overview of the discipline as taught today and suggests new directions for future developments. 'Hispanic Studies' is broadly concerned with the languages and cultures of the vast 'Hispanic' world, extending chronologically from Roman Hispania to today, and geographically from Roman Hispania to today, and geographically from California in the North to Patagonia in the South, and from Majorca in the East to the Andes in the West. This essential book provides all the necessary introductory information on the subject and will be especially useful for students who have already started courses in Spanish / Hispanic Studies, or who are considering doing so in the future. Written by a team of leading scholars each with established teaching experience this collection of short essays explores topics as diverse as the history of the Spanish language, Islamic Andalusia, race and class in the Spanish Golden Age, Catalan nationalism, the Madrid 'movida', Latin America cinema, tango in Argentina, Evita Pern, 'testimonio' and the cultural significance of the US-Mexican border. The emphasis is on literature and texts, including film and photography. In addition, the book includes time-lines, summary boxes adn suggestions for further reading.