Dr Idoya Puig
Senior Lecturer in Spanish
My profile
Biography
I am a Senior Lecturer in Spanish here at MMU and I teach Hispanic culture and society and Spanish language years 1 and 4. My research has focused on Cervantes and the portrayal of friendship in his works, the origin of the novel and Cervantes’s influence in Spanish contemporary literature, aspects of Golden Age culture and fascinating personal accounts of the Spanish Civil War. At present I am looking at new ways to teach Spanish Golden Age texts in the 21st century.
The most important aspect of teaching, for me, is to engage with students and build a strong academic relationship. I try to be approachable and friendly and to share in the learning process with students. I love being able to work with my students as equals and share ideas.
Words of wisdom
Being at university is a wonderful opportunity to not only get a degree but to develop as a person. My advice would be to throw yourself into lots of activities outside of study, such as volunteering or societies. These activities make a difference to your time at university and you might not get the chance again!
Academic and professional qualifications
1984-1987 BA (Hons) in Spanish, Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London. Subsidiary subject: Italian
1987-1992 PhD: ‘Human Relationships in the Novelas ejemplares of Cervantes: An Ideological and Literary Study’, Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London. I received a scholarship from Westfield College for the first three years of my PhD studies.
Other academic service (administration and management)
Examinations Officer
Disability Officer
Timetable coordinator for the Department and Faculty link
Languages
Spanish
Catalan
Italian
Consultancy and advisory roles
School Governor at St. Aidan’s Catholic Primary School, Wythenshawe
Membership of professional associations
Association of Hispanists of Great Britain and Ireland
Cervantes Society of America
Higher Education Academy
Projects
Senior Lecturers in Spanish, Karl McLaughlin and Idoya Puig, provided insight into the importance of Spain’s
traditional fiestas at the launch of a new exhibition of photographs at the
Instituto Cervantes by Manchester-based photographer Guille Ibañéz and the
Redeye Photography Network. 31st January 2018
video link
Teaching
Why do I teach?
I feel that I learn all the time. I love my job because I get to be with people everyday. I also believe that your culture is an important part of who you are. It’s not only my job but my privilege to transmit Spanish culture to others.
Subject areas
Spanish
Research outputs
Cervantes and friendship, the origin of novel and Cervantes’s influence in Spanish contemporary literature; aspects of Golden Age culture; personal accounts of the Spanish Civil War; teaching literature through new media.
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Books (authored/edited/special issues)
Puig, I., McLaughlin, K. (2019) Spanish Golden Age Texts in the Twenty-First Century: Teaching the Old Through the New. Peter Lang.
Puig, I. (2009) Tradition and modernity : Cervantes's presence in Spanish comtemporary literature. Peter Lang.
Puig, I. (2000) Memoirs of Spanish Civil War: translation from Catalan text and general introduction. Lampeter: Edwin Mellen Press.
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Chapters in books
Puig, I. (2023) 'Teaching Spanish Golden Age in the Twenty-First Century.' In Hart, S.M., Thacker, J., Samson, A. (ed.) Essays in Honour of Angel Garcia Gomez. London: Centre of Cesar Vallejo Studies, UCL, pp. 80-90.
Puig, I. (2020) 'Literature in language learning in the UK context: from current A-levels to university.' In Almeida, A.B., Bavendiek, U., Biasini, R. (ed.) Literature in language learning: new approaches. Research-publishing.net,
Puig, I. (2019) 'Teaching literature and language using a multiliteracies framework: exploring intercultural skills with Cervantes’s La española inglesa.' In Puig, I., McLaughlin, K. (ed.) Spanish Golden Age Texts in the Twenty-First Century: teaching the old through the new. Bern, Switzerland: Peter Lang,
McLaughlin, K. (2019) 'Meaningful parallels for students: Golden Age poetic production as examples of talent shows and celebrity spats.' In Puig, I., McLaughlin, K. (ed.) Spanish Golden Age Texts in the 21st Century: Teaching the Old with the New. Bern, Switzerland: Peter Lang, pp. 141-157.
Puig, I., Bela Almeida, A. (2017) 'Enhancing employability skills by bringing literature back into the foreign language class: the Litinclass website.' In Álvarez-Mayo, C., Gallagher-Brett, A., Michel, F. (ed.) Innovative language teaching and learning at university: enhancing employability. Research-publishing.net,
Puig, M.I. (2016) 'La representación de la amistad en El caballero don Quijote (2002) de Manuel García Aragón.' In Carlos Mata Induráin, (ed.) Recreaciones quijotescas y cervantinas en las artes. Cervantes y su obra. Pamplona: EUNSA,
Puig, I. (2014) 'Mythical origins of Cervantes's friendships: value and use of friends in the Novelas ejemplares.' Cervantes y la Mitología, Anuario de Estudios Cervantinos, 10�. Editorial Academia del Hispanismo,
Puig, I. (2013) 'Respect or ridicule? the representation of old age in Cervantes's works.' As time goes by: portraits of age. Cambridge Scholars Publishing,
Puig, I. (2005) 'Cervantine Traits in Las dos doncellas and La señora Cornelia.' A companion to Cervantes's Novelas Ejemplares. Brewer and Boydell Ltd.,
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Journal articles
Puig, I. (2011) 'Cervantes’s presence in Javier Marías’s Mañana en la batalla piensa en mí.' Cuaderno Internacional de Estudios Humanisticos y Literatura, 16pp. 133-141.
Puig, I. (2011) 'Relationships in Los trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda: parental authority and freedom of choice.' Anuario de Estudios Cervantinos, 7pp. 211-222.
Puig, I. (2000) 'The portrayal of friendship in Don Quijote.' Bulletin of hispanic studies, 77(3) pp. 359-373.
Puig, I. (1998) 'El celoso extremeño y El licenciado Vidriera: las excepciones que confirman la regla.' Revista del Instituto de Lengua y Cultura Espanolas (RILCE), 14(1) pp. 73-88.
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Conference papers
Puig, I. (2005) 'Cervantes en la obra de José María Merino.' In El Siglo de Oro en el nuevo milenio. II. Pamplona, Spain, 15/9/2003 - 17/9/2003. Mata, C. (ed.) Pamplona: Eunsa, pp. 1439-1451.
Puig, I. (2001) 'Imagen y significado de la ciudad de Roma en las Novelas ejemplares.' In Cervantes en Italia. Rome, 27/9/2001 - 29/9/2001. Palma de Mallorca: Asociación de Cervantistas, pp. 329-335.
Puig, I. (1990) 'Contribución al estudio de la ideología de Cervantes relaciones humanas en las "Novelas ejemplares".' In II Coloquio de la Asociación de Cervantistas. Alcalá de Henares, 6/11/1989 - 9/11/1989. Barcelona: Anthropos, pp. 601-607.