St. John Fisher CollegeFisher Digital Publications

International Studies Masters International Studies Department

4-2006

Euskera and the Government: The Impact ofTwentieth Century Spanish GovernmentalLanguage Policy on the Basque Language andNationalist MovementKylene A. RileySt. John Fisher College

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Recommended CitationRiley, Kylene A., "Euskera and the Government: The Impact of Twentieth Century Spanish Governmental Language Policy on theBasque Language and Nationalist Movement" (2006). International Studies Masters. Paper 16.

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Euskera and the Government: The Impact of Twentieth Century SpanishGovernmental Language Policy on the Basque Language and NationalistMovement

AbstractThroughout their history, the Basque people have been subject to great amounts of oppression, while at thesame time attempting to fight for their identity, equality, and simply the ability to ensure the continuation oftheir culture. This was never more of a danger to the Euskadi people than during the twentieth century mainlyresulting from the repression they experienced under the Government of Francisco Franco. As a reaction tothose policies, the Basque Nationalist Movement worked to ensure the survival of the language through thecreation of underground schools and other programs to spur the use of language. In this paper, I argue thatwhile Franco's policies initially led to a decrease in the usage of Euskera, they eventually led to a strongresurgence of the language and the Nationalist Movement as a whole.

Document TypeThesis

Degree NameM.S. in International Studies

DepartmentInternational Studies

This thesis is available at Fisher Digital Publications: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/intlstudies_masters/16