Spain’s Identity and Attitudes on Diversity: 2010 Through 2012 The international broadcasting of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) can create different stereotypes or images about certain European countries. Depending on the way a performance is presented and later interpreted, some countries might represent themselves in a negative or arrogant manner, while others might represent themselves in a positive and humbled manner. With many songs written about love and staying strong, Spain has done an excellent job of representing themselves through this lens of positivity. By analyzing three consecutive performances, starting with 2010 and ending with 2012, it is possible to explore the identities that represent Spain in the ESC, along with their attitude towards diversity. “Something Tiny,” performed by Daniel Diges (2010, Spain), uses symbolism and an intricate choice of staging to show the importance of the tiny things in a relationship, like flowers or a simple embrace. The song...

Hola Spain: Analyzing National Identity and the Others The English Oxford Living Dictionary defines national identity as, “a sense of a nation as a cohesive whole, as represented by distinctive traditions, culture, and language.” It can also be defined as the way one exists in the world by identifying with a specific group or nation. National identity organizes people through many different aspects of language, history, and politics. It is not an inborn trait. Therefore, it is known to be socially constructed. According to Anna Triandafyllidou, a professor at the European University Institute, if someone has no national identity or does not belong to a nation, then they are considered an outcast.  People tend to conform to this idea of grouping and associating themselves with others based off of similarities. They often homogenize their ideas and behaviors, so that they can feel a sense of belonging to something greater than themselves. Every person in the world can ...