The Gentleman and the Barbarian. Masculinity and Civilization in Basque Nationalism (1893-1937)

Abstract

This article explores the evolution of the masculine ideals created by the Basque nationalism since its origins at the end of the 19th Century until the Spanish civil war (1936-1939). The concept of civilization is at the center of this analysis. The “Basque man” was constructed in opposition to the Spanish man, being the gentleman a key reference in this construction. This play of identifications and contrasts was not the logical outcome of nationalist ideology and its visions of sexual difference. Far from that, what we can find is discursive maneuvers and redefinitions, which draw our attention to the versatility of concepts and to their capacity to adapt to different worldviews and political projects.

Keywords

• Masculinidades, nacionalismo vasco, civilización, género, gentleman.