26 International Educator SEP.+OCT.07 cumstances, and allegations of Spanish withtorture700 ETA by affiliated human rights individuals groups likein Spanish Amnestystaunch jails, additionsInternational. deaths into SpanishETA’s prisonsmore underthan questionable800 movement,killings in cir 40 announcedyears. Violence thathaunts it the wasSpanish formally“Basqueside, too, endingHomeland itsand Freedom”), ceasefire the that,militant withBasque in somethe tall nationalist grass. exceptions,In June, ETA had(Euskadi helpedTa , Basque nantfor feature of the region’s topology encroach. Those hillsbetween hold many a Basquestiger and the rest of ,visitor persists. to imagine But that it adoes. violent and vexing nationalist conflict, that tan and wealthy, as is much of the Basque region of Spain. good feel of Los Angeles. This Basque city is a plainly hedonistic the recalls cosmopoli city May,the in day sunny a on Indeed, Identity Cri sis Cri Identity tives in suits tuck in for long and decadent lunches with friends. Around , the green and wild Basque hills that are the domi Viewing this sunny postcard, it is sometimes difficult for the casual separate running and bike paths. Well-fed business execu rom terwork, the . Joggers and bikers amble and glide along Bilbao, Spain, you have a bird’s eye view of this elegant and eclectic city’s center. Below, the Nervion River frames Frank Gehry’s mammoth wavy titanium mas P rofessor E duardo R uiz ’ s

office - - - in theUniversityin Deustoinof Gu gg enheim : A d r iaan T homas S naai j e r/ shutte - - r stoc k Identity Cri sis

In the Basque Country academics and universities are working to deal with an age-old conflict over regional autonomy, language, and national identity.

Text and photography by David Tobenkin

SEP.+O C T.07 T.07 C SEP.+O

Politics intrudes on paradise: “Gora ETA”— “Hurray for ETA,” the militant Basque separatist group, reads graffiti on a statue on a bridge spanning the River Urumea in the toney Basque Inte r nat i onal Edu cato r beach resort town of San Sebastian. Inset, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

27 28 International Educator SEP.+OCT.07 conflict are matters of the heart as well as the mind. with a scientific breakthrough, matters at the coreis that of unlike Basque-Spanish environmental or medical threats that can be resolved larger political problem. The trouble with the last, all sides concede, lence and hatred tied to the conflict, andof find the a long-runningrational solution dictatorship to the of Franciscoand Franco,tolerance, staunchthey have thewaged vio a long battle to Andreverse what the of repressionSpain’s universities? As custodiansIvory T of knowledge, reason, that have long pressed to go their own separate ways. try, which is an uneasy patchwork of many regionsand byand fearethnic that groups further Basque autonomy could rip alreadyapart theirmade counto Basque autonomy, by the continuedthey view as Basque refusalviolence to recognize of theETA, significant concessions incarcerate nationalists. Spaniards, for their part,seentiedas toviolent areand separatist angeredgroups, and that continues by towhat theirown political future, that bans political parties and candidates government that refuses to discuss the right of ferentto determine political persuasions. Basques feel the pain ofbetween a BasquesSpanish and Spaincentral as a whole, and between Basques of dif greater iceberg of pain, anger, and distrust that marks the relationship to wane, butless sothat apoliticalsolutioncanbereached. Rights. Heisoptimistic that separatist violence willcontinue University ofDeusto’s Pedro ArrupeInstitute ofHuman Professor Eduardo Ruizisdirector oftheBilbao-based speaker identifies the region. the which in manner the in used are quotes, in and article the throughout interchangeably used are They region. Basque and Region, Autonomous Basque Country, Basque identified: can E Butthe physical violence in the conflict is only the tip of a vastly ditor’ owers inSpainandtheBasqueR s

n ote:

There are three ways that Basque Country Country Basque that ways three are There egion - - - Country’s SanSebastian campus The SchoolofLaw Buildingat the University oftheBasque no shame in recognizing self with hard political stance.” feasible. The hardpositions have reappeared again, and there’s now relationshiplessand lessbecomes Country Basqueuniquethe to sibility of adopting a solution granting some form of asymmetrical difficult. The systemis more and more consolidated, and pos the could have been achieved. Now as time goes on, it is more andandmaybe for themore first 15 years after, maybe something particular good mood. It was a historical moment when, after the Constitutionsociety. That has always been there, but during theSpanish 1980sofmajority the instate thenational plurality in ofnition there was a andfriendlyfeelingdeep man.very against“There a is any recog politicalsolutionmoream pessimistic,”I sayseasy-goinganRuiz, to the underlying nationalist conflict…well, that is another matter. of the violence is probably over, when it comes to finding a solution Rights, represents the voice of many in stating that, while the worst in each of the three provinces that make up the Basque Autono Basque the up makethatprovinces three the of each in Basque higher education institution in the country, with campuses than in the various universities of Basque Country. ratherthan among Basques and Spaniards, and no where more so conflict have played out amongBasque scholars of different views, and violence the address to efforts university degree, large To a Basque HigherE cational systems in addressing the most fundamental of conflicts. conflict throws into focus the possibilitiestheSpanishof universities’ addressing roleinand theBasque-Spanish limits of university edu tion of violence and a resuscitation of Basquebeen integral culture. to areasAn examinationof progress achieved to date,to resolvenotably the theconflict, reduc albeit sometimes in indirect forms. ishThey haveacademics have been, and continue to be, at the forefront of efforts “I am optimistic about an end to violence,findingtoaboutoptimistic a endbut am an about“I Human of Institute Arrupe Pedro ’s of director Ruiz, The University of Basque Country (UPV/EHU) is the largest the is (UPV/EHU) Country Basque of University The Still, despite the continuing political challenge, Basque and Span ducation andBasqueSurvival ------

SEP.+OCT.07 International Educator 29 - “It’s a miracle Basque Country has revived that language,” says says Basque a Country has language,” miracle revived that “It’s As significant as the teaching of the language has been the 24 percent of the country, with the percentage of speakers higher higher of speakers percentage the with of country, the 24 percent generations. younger among Mason George at emeritus government of professor a Clark, Robert “It’s nationalism. Basque on books three written has who University required it save To wide-spoken. not it’s and easy an language not considerable effort,including the translation of booksand films. too been have would it before it do to time much have didn’t They generation.” a late—maybe person translates as “ speaker.” Academics have had had have Academics speaker.” language “Basque as translates person an as century and a standard codifying by survival its ensuring in role twentieth a primary the entered Euskara of which variety Euskara, a of of version because written largely language, oral other exclusively because and almost tongue, common find to efforts frustrated thought. dialects, formal more for used were Spanish and French like tongues UPV/ At use. intellectual of one living a it making in role academics’ EHU, 43 percent of classes are taught in Euskara. The language, forbidden to be taught or spoken during the 35-year dic Franco by used now is extinction, toward headed seemingly and tatorship - - - Euskara, unrelated and predating in Europe the Indo-European Indo-European the Europe in predating and unrelated Euskara, All these schools follow the pedagogical organization of other Span other of organization pedagogical the follow schools these All Its private sibling, the Jesuit-affiliated University of Deusto also also Deusto of University Jesuit-affiliated the sibling, private Its self-identity—so key, in fact, that the only word in Euskara for a Basque Basque a for Euskara in word only the that fact, in key, self-identity—so of universities for the Basque Autonoumous Government. Government. Autonoumous Basque the for universities of rector Basque to critical is Europe, of rest the all almost by spoken tongues ish universities, with the notable difference of offering varying numbers numbers varying offering of difference notable the di with Juaristi, Patxi universities, says ish Euskara, tongue, native Basque the in courses of the auspices of the worker-cooperative industrial group of the same same the of group industrial worker-cooperative the of auspices the of and students 4,000 around has university the present, At name. courses. degree 22 of total a fers has facilities in all three provinces, a faculty of more than 600, and and 600, than more of faculty a provinces, three all in facilities has by approved was university private new a 1997 In students. 16,000 under up set Mondragon, of University the parliament, Basque the originally barred public universities from the Basque Country and and Country Basque the from universities public barred originally altogether. institutions isolated few a permitted only then serving 48,000 students. As of 2005, 78 different degrees are offered, offered, are degrees different 78 2005, of As students. study. 48,000 of serving subjects 1,300 than more from choose to able students with That is aremarkable turnaround fromthe Spain ofFranco, who spider and water spray sculptures. spray spider and water administrators and professors 4,000 nearly and Community mous eusto in Bilbao, in the Basque region of Spain, rise above the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao’s the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao’s of Spain, rise above in the Basque region in Bilbao, of Deusto Buildings of the University 30 International Educator SEP.+OCT.07 in Spain’s goldenageaswhalersand autonomy. Basquesplayed alarge part like theBasqueCountry considerable allowed theiramalgamated provinces Spain inthefifteenth century, they patrons Ferdinand andIsabellaunified Spain iscomplicated. WhenColombus relationship withthemodernstate of throughout theirhistory, theBasques’ million Spaniards. only 2millioninanation ofsome40 and theBasquepopulation inSpainis end, inany direction inseveral hours, drive across BasqueCountry, endto nounced. This isatiny region: onecan nationalist tendencies are notaspro other, smallerBasqueprovinces, where border insouthwest , liethree areas, Navarra, lieinSpain.Across the an additionalregion withsomeBasque France. Three Basqueprovinces and what isnow thesouthernborder of the northernborder ofSpainandin Often at war withbiggerpowers enterprising peoplewholive around the Basques,anancientand conflict, onemust understand o

unde r stand The theBasque - mous Community andNavarra. known today astheBasqueAutono right to autonomy intheterritories These includedtheBasquepeople’s its borders andtheirhistorical rights. tion ofnationalities andregions within including provisions for theprotec stitution inanationwide referendum, the country approved aSpanishCon ended in1975 withhisdeath. In1978 targets in1961. in 1959 andbeganattacking Spanish language. The radical ETA was founded forbidden to useorteach theBasque was eliminated andBasqueswere sided withtheR pressed theBasques,whohadlargely R Spanish CivilWar in1939 against the sank into decline. tury internecine wars, asthecountry sides inSpain’s various nineteenth cen Later, Basquesfought onopposite ess that launchedSpain’s colonial age. helped facilitate theseagoingprow sea captainswhosenauticalexploits epublicans, Franco vigorously re Franco’s anachronistic dictatorship After Franco’s Nationalists won the epublicans. Autonomy ------tably, whethertheBasquescandeclare ish politicalrelationship continues, no at Columbia University. International Conflict R process, andaseniorassociate to the presidency withrespect to thepeace (USIP), anadviserfor theBasque the Institute ofPeace says Gorka Espiau,aseniorfellow at of any subnational entityinEurope, for thehighest level ofselfgovernance systems. Inpractice, thestatus allowed and autonomous education andhealth Basque radio andtelevisions stations, of anautonomous Basquepolice force, my, theabilityto collect taxes, creation the Basquegovernment fiscalautono quent Statute ofAutonomy granting erate Basquepartiesledto asubse the world. nationalist conflicts inmany partsof has notbeenwhollysuppressed, unlike dominant culture andasubculture that it willat least beconducted between a Spanish state aswell astheBasques, independence. Butto thecredit ofthe The debate over theBasque-Span Negotiations withMadridandmod esolution Center - - - - -

SEP.+OCT.07 International Educator 31 ------olitical Challenge According to a 2007 poll by Sociometro Vas Sociometro by poll 2007 a to According co, 35 percent of the population does not want want not does population the of percent 35 co, an independent state, 30 percent wants inde not would or would percent 20 and pendence, (15 circumstances the on depending favor in be they if even However, undecided). were percent universal more far a independence, want not do the have should they is that sentiment Basque poll opinion 2005 a self-determination: of right the in population the of majority a that showed that believes Community Autonomous Basque The P com a is language Basque the of preservation If the eliminating and Basques, among goal mon full seeking most, of goal a become has violence The Basques is independence matter. another themselves have been ferociously divided on just how much autonomy and independence want. they says such plans “are pernicious for Basques, as Basques, for pernicious “are plans such says they seek to establish a totalitarian system in which political liberty Like would disappear. economic negative very have would they wise, repercussions.” In 2004 the passed a proposal for a new statute statute new a for proposal a passed Parliament Basque the 2004 In Elkarbide is an association of 454 professors of UPV formed in formed UPV of professors 454 of association an is Elkarbide have Basques of groups -leaning and conservative More based on free association or shared sovereignty with Spain, which which Spain, with sovereignty shared or association free on based de to right the presidency and Parliament Basque the allow Spain would between relationship current the in changes potential any fine for Pact the practice, In Community. Autonomous Basque such the and transferred have would state Spanish the with Association Free and cards identity of issuance as government regional the to powers Span The talks. the of accounts to according borders, of regulation proposal, the rejected overwhelmingly Cortes, the Parliament, ish other Spain’s to granted autonomy the exceeded have would which the the Basque have the right to determine the type they of relations believe minority significant a while state, Spanish the with maintain modi possible any on decide should whole a as society Spanish that quo. status political the to fication the year 2000 that calls for Basque self-determination of their politi their of self-determination Basque for calls that 2000 year the to and groups institutions political and has cal status encouraged solution. a facilitate to other each to speak also formed, some clearly expressing antipathy to independence drives, including Basta and de Foro Ya! . led Theby latter, Mikel de professor Madrid economics Complutense Universidad Buesa, lays out a strict line against negotiations with ETA, calls for its dissolution, and also rules out unilateral self-determina ETA, by was killed brother whose Buesa, Country. Basque by tion - - - - - Pedro Luis Arias, a professor Luis Arias, a professor Pedro the School of Engineering at of the Basque the University at on U), was (UPV/EH Country la Paz’s Por Gesto group peace 2000- from board coordinating the vast that 2006. He says majority of Basques, including rejected have Basque professors, finding a as a means to violence the conflict. solution to - - iolence Other groups of educators, or that prominently feature edu After that initial step, in 1991, members of the group who were were who group the of members 1991, in step, initial that After The level of violence inthe last five years, ETA’s terrorist activities have been generally selective. By targeting targeting By selective. generally been have activities terrorist ETA’s iolence, Champion Human Rights iolence, Oppose Groups ducational Basque autonomy. Basque cators, were also formed in response to the conflictgreater condemnedleast, andtheat violence.have Unlikeor, Gesto, Arias independence notes, most against such or for leanings have groups man rights and collaborated with education administrators in the administrators education with collaborated and rights man programs. peace-oriented of development educators, including many university professors, designed primary primary designed professors, university many including educators, hu and peace promote to materials teaching school secondary and show through demonstrations and media expressions the real ideas ideas real the expressions media and demonstrations through show terror against are who Country, Basque in living people of most of life.” human of favor in and ism of activities to try to establish opposition to ETA ETA to opposition establish to try to activities of Civil, Guardia police, to as well as people, killing or whoever was . Ourcommitting firststep wastrying to EHU EHU who served as one of 12 members of the 2000– from board coordinating Paz la Por Gesto type same the performed Paz la Por “Gesto 2006. V in and violence against ideas express to formed a Arias, Luis Pedro says rights,” human of favor UPV/ at Engineering of School the at professor E was group “Our Paz. la Por Gesto is group One through participation in, and leadership of, a va a of, leadership and in, participation through violence. opposed that groups of riety independence from Spain, that violence must be be must violence that Spain, from independence rejected as a have means to an end. Professors about change that in bringing role a had direct that in part reflects ETA’s recognition of a general general a has decreased.greatly however, say Professors of recognition ETA’s reflects part in that favor who most among even consensus, Basque university professors and journalists, have been a been have journalists, and professors university threats. or violence for target not-uncommon bearers of hostile or Madrid-friendly ideas, especially if those standard standard those if especially ideas, Madrid-friendly or hostile of bearers consid intellectuals Basque Basque. were bearers including matters, on nationalism soft too ered repressive legal system and, with notable exceptions, generally sparing sparing generally exceptions, notable with and, system legal de in standard some repressive to to air Hood Robin a extended acquired always movement the violence bystanders, the hand, other the On past. cades litical struggle into a predominantly nonviolent one. nonviolent predominantly a into struggle litical sometimes the and military, Spanish the Franco, with associated figures If ensuring cultural survival has been a front: major moral Basque the academicon been has one significant second a achievement, po Basque the of transformation the in assisting role key a playing Stopping the V the Stopping 32 International Educator SEP.+OCT.07 will be publicly discussed in 2008. conflictBasque studies institute new similarproposalafor a that issues. Espiau says that he is exploring the possibility of presenting supportinstitutenewa toconduct research onpeace and conflict of another restive Spanish province, Catalunya, has passed a law to plomacy, and peace building in conflict situations. The government focusesmediationon andnegotiation processes, second-track di tional arena; and the Toledo International Centre for Peace, which aims to provide innovative thinking on Europe’s role in the interna el Diálogo Exterior (FRIDE), a think tank established in Madrid that around Madrid: La Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y and Conflict at the , an AIPAZ member. participated,”says Beatriz Molina, director ofthe Institute ofPeace dedicated to that theme, in which some countrymemberswho explains his ofpoints ofview toour us,or some publication institute have seminars featuring a specialized investigatorrelatedactivity, as suchsome had have weor occasion onalthough social agent of Basque focus tends to be on research, rather than intervention, Espiau said.conflict tends to be analyzed as only oneish conflictAssociation foramong the manyInvestigation and the of Peace]). However,ofAIPAZ the(Asociación Basque Española de Investigación para la Paz [Span versity departments and conflict transformation centers that are part been a big problem for academics who want to enter the field.” thatnotwell developed. Therefore Basque the conflict alwayshas Espiausays.“InSpain andSouthern Europe, contrast,by arethey studies,” and research of traditions likeSweden andNorway, havelong focus on the Basque Conflict. interventionprograms inSpain that by a notable lack of peace and conflict says those efforts have been hobbled address the conflict’s violence, Espiau ad hoc university groups have tried to Basque issue the has been extensive, on and research academic While Solutions Adding Structural litical developments. po mainstream further of some to ETA bombing killed two, offers hope tonomy, even after a December 2006 reform to the existing Statute of Au Jose Zapatero to continue discussing MinisterSpanishPrimeSocialist of 16 regions. However, the willingness New centers, however, are on the way, including two in and and in two including way, the on are however, centers, New conflict directly,[Basque] theInstitute“Ourdoesn’t with deal Peace research in Spain is supported by a network of different uni North, the in countries “Many - - Madrid they don’tbelieve there isaconflict.” Nationalist Party. Hesays, “Ilived inMadridfor 20years andIwas bornthere andin San Sebastian, andspokesman for theSanSebastian branch ofthemoderate Basque a University ofBasqueCountry professor oflaw, novelist, legaladvisorto theTown of playground oftherichthat doublesasahotbed ofBasqueseparatist militancy. Heis Xabier Ezeizabarrena intheTown HallofSanSebastian/Donostia, abeachresort - - - - are in favor of independence. Many are in favor of greaternot the situationautonomy. in Basque Country. It’s a very plural society. Many countries,theconsensus highfavorinthatwasof solution. That’s CzechRepublicSlovakia andseparated problem. withno both In Spain and France but a problem in Basque society,” Arias says. “The muddled, ill-defined current status as a U.S. commonwealth. status for that island: independence, statehood, or divisiona continuation of Puerto Rican of popular a opinion on the best future political dents in Basque Country are divided in a way similar to theThey tripartite say that the situation may similarlylenges stay unresolvedis Puerto because Rico’s resi complicated relationship with the United States. of the six counties of Ulster with the Republic of Ireland as a result. proach and appeared willing to accept the possibility of Britishreunification governments’ major political parties both supported the ap an elected Assembly. However, unlike Madrid,political thepower with the minority Catholics and for the creation of for a united Ireland. The agreement also calls for ProtestantscitizensofNorthern Ireland toandthe Republicshare ofIreland both vote Ireland is to remain part of the unless and determinationforuntilsovereignty ofthrough consent:that Northern the the island of Ireland, the (a.k.a. Good Friday) Agreementthebymajor political parties1998 inandratified votersby acrosscalls ants of the Northern Ireland Belfast Agreement peacethere accord. are many. Signed Among the most prominent at the momentProfessorsresolutionforandConflict,likemodels,theBasque of are vari A Proliferation ofModels “The problem here is not a problem of Basque Country and and Country Basque of problem a not is here problem “The Some say, however, that a closer fit to the Basque Country’s chal - - - -

SEP.+OCT.07 International Educator 33 - - - - As noted above, some groups aimed at ending the violence also also violence the ending at aimed groups some above, noted As fostered has professors, university of association the Elkarbide, Until recently, Elkarri was another key social movement for organization in the area to promote discussions at the local level to to level local the at discussions promote to area the in organization dif between dialogue as well as conflict, the of roots the transform spokesman. former group’s the Espiau, says parties, Lo political ferent group, successor a by replaced and dissolved was Elkarri 2006 In consultation direct promoting on focused organization new a karri, agreement. political new a about society Basque the from and to Many professors are just repeating what the political parties said. We We said. parties political the what repeating in just are situations professors other Many with situation our comparing research had haven’t related not and unique are we said has academia Spanish world. the view.” of point academic acceptable an not That’s others. to to political taken solutions and have to the discussing promoting roles. prominent in academics with many conflict, in platform Its institutions. and groups political among Basque discussions approach, political acceptable only the as nonviolence pro cludes of legalization conflict, the of humanization self-determination, ETA,all that parties and agreement with parties affiliated hibited views. their promote to opportunity equal an have was It Country. Basque in conflict Basque the of resolution peaceful founded in 1992 to defend and mobilize the model of a peaceful andfirst thewas conflict Basque the to dialogue through solution - - Academics say that scholars tend to follow these cleavages with with cleavages these follow to tend scholars that say Academics Espiau notes in a recent USIP position paper that creative solu creative that paper position USIP recent a in notes Espiau in the political world’s discussions,” Espiau says. “We haven’t had that. that. had haven’t “We says. Espiau discussions,” world’s political the in little scholarly detachment. “Universities should be able to explore explore to be able should “Universities occurs detachment. than scholarly little perspectives violent less with conflict this generalize and bers of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party and conservative Popular mem local to Popular side one on parties independence conservative Basque other and and Party Workers’ Socialist Spanish the of bers other. the on , opposing vigorously last the Party, open discourse, unfortunately, open does discourse, not unfortunately, necessarily lead to open minds. a In wide of Basque gamut parties political have Country, ETA-affiliated from subject, the on positions political fixed adopted Lack of Discourse held, been have solutions possible such of discussions many While an entity defined by the Council of Europe as a form of transnational transnational of form a as Europe of Council the by defined entity an between structure two cooperative or located more territories in countries. European different One, he says, would be to recognize political, economic, social, and and social, economic, political, recognize to be would says, he One, Navarra, provinces, Basque Spanish the between relations cultural Euroregion, a of creation through provinces Basque French the and majority supporting one position or another.” or position one supporting majority nationalists. Basque of goals the realize help to possible be may tions Others are in favor of the present situation. There is not a significant significant a not is There situation. present the of favor in are Others 34 International Educator SEP.+OCT.07 there is a conflict.” believe don’t they Madrid in and there, born parties. I lived in Madrid for 20 years and I was national Basque the conflict—only political a and conflict a is it that realizes really parties] body [with the countries’s mainstream political discussingbeen this for the last200 years.No Country.It’s everlastinganwe’vetackbecause Basque the in everlasting is tack, the port, to shift the saying port—I’m to back come they “That’s thepoint when theboat shifts route, so than revolution. Still, he too, rails against the deaf ear of Madrid. elections focused on a bourgeoisie platformtionalist closer Party.to fixing His cityunsuccessful streets candidacy forcounsel mayor to thein town,the and spokespersonMay 2007 of the moderate Basque Na Renaissanceman: UPV/EHUa professor oflaw, novelist, and legal a hotbed of Basque separatist militancy. He is a boyish, Donostia,tousle-haired a toney beach resort playground of the rich that doubles as ing academics, can be even more problematic. independence-minded Basques and non-Basque Spaniards, includ spectivesaredifficult, meaningfulthen communications between to break the myths of both sides, though I don’t always succeed.” tive possible version of history, without national mythologies. I try and I think historians have a responsibility to give, the most objec endeavorsto beevenhanded in political discussions. “Ito try give, UPV/EHU Basque History Professor Santiago de Pablo says that he texts, which, they say, often translates into their own biases. professorsarefreeto choose their own that unlike secondary schools, university toryistaught. Somestudents complain both in Basque Country and students Madrid is how for his issue charged ent positions.” and you realize you have entirely differ startto talk about it, you start to argue, the pro-dialogue Elkarbide. “When you says UPV’s Juaristi, himself a member of it,”don’taboutparticipantsother I ask topic—I’minvestigationand ingroups requires courage and fortitude. versityclassroom orfaculty conference Uni Basque or Spanish a in conflict Basque the on discussion fair and full “My last book was entitled Ciaboga Infinita,” Ezeizabarrena says. Imeet Xabier Ezeizabarrena in the Town Hall of San Sebastian/ communicationsIf differentof Basquespolitical perbetween There are clearly professors who do their best to teach both sides. enormously an surprisingly, Not taboo a is conflict Basque “The a leading efforts, such despite Still, - - - The Town HallofSanSebastian/Donostia - - - - - webextra. nafsa.org/ Extra! At www. Online asaWeb Exclusively for Basques” in P Universities’ R R ead “U of Spain. If one province becomes independent, others will want it “They shouldbe more consciousness of the fact that they are a part everybody in Madrid thinks they should be part of Madrid,”self-determination, she hersays. opinions are strong and immediate:for desire Basque “Ithe about think her ask I when But high-schooler. a for pass could she management, and administration business in student UCM first-year 19-year-old A Gonzalez. Susana faced and positions quickly harden. independence, autonomyor further of issueultimate the toward back them Steer violence. Basque about discussions toward flict quicklydivert discussions about the Basque-Spanish political con by Franco authorities to keep potentially rebellious students at bay. Somosaguas campus, deliberately located away from the city’sis even furthercenter out, a half hour bus ride from the main campuson the atcity’s the outskirts. The muy liberal political science department Universidad Complutense de Madrid, the public institution located It’sbeen 20 years since I spent a year as an exchange student at the The R eacebuilding Onabus on the way to Somosaguas, Iturn to small and fresh- to tendseparatism, to opposed Basques many and Spaniards, .S. oad to Madrid ole liberal than the other departments. I think I departments. other the than liberal ment is a little more open because it is more ‘Spain,Spain.’ The Political Science Depart Building. “Generally here, everything is very and neglected Somosaguas Political Science thebatteredliticalinscience query major I po 23-year-old a Moreno, Guillermo says have the right of self-determination.” should they don’talready.think I them for andthenthere’s Spain.no We’ve lotdonea That’s not an uncommon sentiment, sentiment, uncommon an not That’s - - -

5

SEP.+OCT.07 International Educator 3 - - IE

was “No Cookie-Cutter Solutions” Solutions” Cookie-Cutter “No was IE is a freelance writer in Chevy Chase, Chase, Chevy in writer freelance a is N KI N E B TO anuary/February 2007 issue, which focused on dealing dealing on focused which issue, 2007 anuary/February

J Whatever bullfighting is or isn’t, its nature is profoundly visceral, as visceral, profoundly is nature its isn’t, or is bullfighting Whatever I’d conflict, this resolve help would pursuits academic thought I “If VID A D in article last His Maryland. on policies immigration and scholars and students foreign with campuses. U.S. patch six bulls in two hours, their bloody corpses dragged through through dragged corpses bloody their hours, two in bulls six patch have may sports Blood trains. mule by ring the of out and sand the Euro progressive a generally of rest the in eradicated largely been in hunting fox of ban 2004 the through recently most Union, pean nary an a fullhouseand herethere’s It’s Not Britain. bullfighting. sight. in protestor rights animal con should who of matter the too, So, detractions. and merits its are even logic, to resistant be to tends Spain of corner northeast the trol academia. foreign and Basque, Spanish, the of mind-workers the to Mason’s George topic, conflict Basque the in invested years Despite behind. subject the leave to decided eventually he says Clark parties the that is out found I what “But says. Clark struggle The that,” doing proceed. be to still how about information additional need don’t Everyone will. of question a It’s ignorance. of because persist families the doesn’t are exceptions The terms. their on only but peace, wants back.” brought husbands and sons want just who prisoners, of in the the in ------ocal Much Much could depend on Spanish general elections.next year’s If such efforts inspire hope, they must be salted by past experi past by salted be must they hope, inspire efforts such If He says that more than 20,000 opinions and proposals have al have proposals and opinions 20,000 than more that says He Espiau says that participants submit their opinion on how to “This is an on-line and off-line initiative,” Espiau said. “Weare said. Espiau “Thisis aninitiative,” and on-line off-line A professor confirms Moreno’s critique: “The [UCM] Faculty of Faculty [UCM] “The critique: Moreno’s confirms professor A the yellow and red Spanish flag is everywhere. Three matadors dis matadors Three everywhere. is flag Spanish red and yellow the I end my journey to Spain by taking in a bullfight at the Plaza de To de in the Afternoon Death Plaza the at bullfight a in taking by Spain to journey my end I stadium, compact remarkably the around look I As Madrid. in ros a strong showing in this year’s elections and gain control of the suffer. could relations Basque-Spanish Cortes, the region again tensely awaits a further spasm of violence. violence. of spasm further a awaits tensely again region the upon build Party) (Popular Popular Partido conservative the Should Basque Conflict: Keys to Understanding the ETA’s Permanent Cease Permanent sponsored by ETA’s Lokarri…with an title, “Report unfortunate on the the Understanding to ceasefire, Keys its ending Conflict: was it Basque that announcement June ETA’s With fire.” sent with their conclusions to the Basque Parliament,” he says. he Parliament,” Basque the to conclusions their with sent report 2006 written and researched excellently an on reflect I ence. ready been collected, with seven peace forums formed at UPV/EHU UPV/EHU at formed forums peace seven with collected, been ready be will report a and participating are students and “Teachers alone. tional Centre for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution at Columbia Columbia at Resolution Conflict and Cooperation for Centre tional University in for Newthe drafting York of a conclusions report, summer. the of end the at due is which political political parties, on a phoning, commenting blog, and by joining local are forums. onposted theTheblog,opinions surveyswhile Interna the to directly relayed are mechanisms response other and about peace building directly to the Basque Parliament,” he says. he Parliament,” Basque the to directly building peace about the to message a sending questionnaire, a in filling by peace bring who is helping to administer the program. the administer to helping is who implementing a program for civil society to send their opinions roots organizations, and local municipalities are participating in this on this how to in solve the conflict.Many university intellectuals, grass participating are municipalities local and organizations, roots Espiau, says transform,” “to for Euskara Konpondu, named project, is is an effortof the Lehendakari Community Autonomous Basque (“President”), Juan José Ibarretxe, to solicit the views of local or ganizations, communities, and individual Basques for their ideas Think L Basque the to solution political a Madrid, in resistance such Given initiative peace latest The Basques. the with begin likely will conflict is more progressive,” says Jaime Ferri Dura, a professor of political political of a professor Dura, Ferri Jaime says progressive,” more is UCM. at administration and science everyone.” science political while generally, speaking conservative, very is Law the solution, then at least the method. Here, we don’t negotiate po Basque of [ETA-affiliated a if are member they someone with with negotiate to be better would it I think . party] litical we need to follow the Northern Ireland negotiated solution. If not not If solution. negotiated Ireland Northern the follow to need we