Chapter 27: Artists as Testimonial Witnesses of Injustices in an Intermediate Spanish Course

When we think of art and social justice, we might envision the photograph of the Migrant Mother during the Great Depression in the 1930s, taken by the photographer Dorothea Lange in 1936, or we may think of Pablo Picasso and his rendition of the bombardment of the Basque town, Guernica, by German aviation in 1937. One way of developing social conscience is by using art as a venue for analysis, interpretation, presentation, and discussion. This chapter addresses the implementation of artistic works to address social injustices with university students, ages 18–21, who are taking Spanish language courses. First, we apply the four stages described in Osborn’s (2006) critical inquiry cycle of informed investigation, inductive analysis, tentative conclusions, and mutual critical reflection. Second, we use the three modes of communication, interpretive, presentational, and interpersonal (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages [ACTFL], 2012a & 2012b) to analyze and share the information.