Militarized Masculinity in Spain and Chile: Remembering Violence Through Film and Literature

In the context of authoritarian rule, torture has repeatedly emerged as a tool of social control. When we ask why and how through a comparative lens, patterns become visible. The right-wing military regimes of Francisco Franco in Spain and Augusto Pinochet in Chile exemplify how militarized masculinity served to enforce political repression and instill fear.

Militarized Masculinity in Spain and Chile proposes that, until we connect the dots between masculinity, militarism, and violence, we cannot fully comprehend the causes and consequences of dictatorial brutality. Lisa DiGiovanni provides an in-depth examination of how literature and film illuminate these often-overlooked relationships, bridging historical and cultural contexts.

The book presents a comprehensive exploration of militarized masculinity as it pertains to these interconnected regimes, revealing the intersections between gender constructs and state violence. By analyzing representations in various cultural texts, Militarized Masculinity in Spain and Chile sheds light on the enduring mechanisms of power and control that continue to resonate today.

Lisa DiGiovanni is chair of the Department of Modern Languages, professor of Spanish, and interdisciplinary scholar of genocide studies at Keene State College.