How does a language become an act of resistance? In this episode, we hear from a Catalan writer and academic whose journey from migrant roots to teaching Catalan in the U.S. reveals how language, culture, and identity intertwine in the fight for independence.
In this deeply personal and political episode, we hear from a Catalan writer and academic raised in a migrant family during the fragile years after Franco’s dictatorship. From learning Catalan in one of the first public schools to teach it openly, to watching state repression deflate the optimism of the 1980s, they share how identity, education, and culture became central to their political awakening.
We explore how Catalan language and literature have served as spaces of resistance — and how the Spanish state’s neglect, censorship, and “folklorization” of Catalan culture reflect deeper structural issues. Along the way, we talk about feminism, the failures of the 2006 Statute of Autonomy, and the dream of writing a new constitution.
This episode touches on topics like:
- Language as both heritage and political decision
- The resilience of Catalan culture and its parallels in France
- Multiculturalism and inclusive identity in Catalonia
- What independence could mean for rights, equity, and self-determination
📣 We also discuss the role of artists, writers, and new generations in imagining the next wave of Catalonia’s future.
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Host: Paul Green
Producer: Barry Carney
Intro/Outro and background Music: Jazzy Swimming (Royalty Free)
Interlude Music: T Kleyn Music
Cover Artwork: Andrea Z. Scharf
A Disaster Caster Productions Podcast
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