Project Andrómeda

Proyecto Andrómeda (Ref.: PHS-2024/PH-HUM-76), funded by The Community of Madrid, aims to analyze and understand the contemporary representations of ancient, medieval and modern myths in Spain, Europe and Latin America. ANDRÓMEDA, coordinated by ACIS, Grupo de Investigación y Mitocrítica from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, centers around the investigation on how myths reflect the identity and culture of our contemporary society.

Objectives

The main objectives of the project comprise three areas of investigation:

1. Analysis of the myths in their fundamental components: we will explore the basic structure of myths, which include their imaginary elements (symbols and archetypes), conceptual elements (themes and mythemes), linguistic elements (narrative skill) and numinous elements (aspects of transcendence and sacredness).

2. Study of the adaptation of myths in different contexts: we will research the evolution and reinterpretation of myths in different places and historic moments, paying special attention to Madrid as the cultural bridge between Europe and Latin America.

3. Understanding of the social impact of myths: the project will identify how myths allow us to understand our contemporary society and we will analyze their cultural and social function in different kinds of artistic expression, such as literature, music and audiovisual arts.

Methodology and interdisciplinary approach

ANDRÓMEDA relies on methodologies from numerous disciplines, such as cultural myth criticism, to deepen into the analysis of myths; the reader- response criticism, to analyze the interpretation of art by the public; and the semiotic perspective, to investigate the cognitive aspects linked to narratology.

Collaboration and the consortium’s resources
The consortium comprises groups of investigation and associated entities that provide a plural and transversal approaches between philology and cultural studies.

ANDRÓMEDA is formed by nine investigative groups from different Madrid- based universities: Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Universidad de Alcalá (UAH), Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) and Universidad Villanueva (UV).

Acis. Myth Criticism Research Group

Asteria, International Association of Myth Criticism

The aim of Asteria is to promote, encourage and aid the study of mythcriticism, focusing on the development of new theorical and epistemological tools to strengthen the discipline and on the presence of classical, medieval, modern and contemporary myths in literature and plastic, scenic and audiovisual arts. Furthermore, it focuses on the creation, the disappearance and the impact of myths on our contemporary society.

Amaltea. Journal of Myth Criticism

Previous Projects

Project Aglaya

 Aglaya, Estrategias de Innovación en Mitocrítica Cultural (ref. H201/HUM-5714) was funded by The Community of Madrid and the The European Social Fund Plus. Duration: 01/01/2020-30/04/2023.

Objectives

Project “AGLAYA: Estrategias de Innovación en Mitocrítica Cultural” aims to propose a new typology for myths and their imaginary correlations (fantasy, magic, animanga, science fiction). To reach that objective, it will investigate the imaginary setting of fictional worlds (according to the categories of immanence and importance) through their corresponding genres of expression (mythological, fantastical, magical, gothic, science fiction, etc.) in literature, arts and other artistic disciplines born during the 20^th and 21^st century (cinema, TV shows, videogames, animanga, comics, etc.).

Participant Groups

The Project has an interdisciplinary approach. It covers literature, plastic, musical and performative arts, cinema, videogames, translation and interpretation, communications and design, philosophy, epigraphy and religion history. There is a 65,16% of women and a 34,84% of men from 12 countries and 36 universities.

The Project has 157 integrated researchers divided in 13 beneficiary groups: “Grupo de Investigación de Mitocrítica”(Myth Criticism Research Group) (coord.), “Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum”, “Estudios Rusos Complutenses” (Complutense’s Russian Studies), “Estudios Transversales de Creación Contemporánea” (Contemporary Creation Transversal Studies), “Influencias de las éticas griegas en la filosofía contemporánea” (Greek Ethic’s Influences in Contemporary Philosophy), “Ecocrítica y Humanidades Ambientales” (Ecocriticism and Ecological Humanities), “Historiografía e Historia de las Religiones” (Historiography and History of Religions), “Estructuras comunicativas e interacciones en los distintos niveles de la comunicación” (Communicative Structures and Interactions in Different Levels of Communication), “Innovación y análisis de la imagen” (Innovation and Image Analysis), “Interculturalidad y Traductología” (Interculturality and Traductology), “Poéticas en Lengua Inglesa” (Poetics in the English Language), “Estudios de Recepción” (Reception Studies) y “Estudios en Intermedialidad y Mediación Intercultural” (Intermediality and Cultural Mediation Studies). These groups belong to seven Spanish universities: Complutense, de Alcalá, Autónoma, Carlos III de Madrid, Francisco de Vitoria, Pontificia Comillas and Antonio de Nebrija.

There is also 21 non-profit entities adhered to the Project (ADIREL, ARYS, ASTERIA, AWM, Ayto. Pozuelo, CdG, CELEC, CLAI, CLE, CMS, CRLC, CUTAMC, FilEsp, FNC, GIREA, ICR, ISTA, PASTOR, PONS, SEEC y SEyTA) as well as 6 companies (Brismar, Cámara de Comercio Hispano-Japonesa, FCE, Mediaset, Librería Serendipia y Smart Residences).

The groups have effectively contributed to the education of young researchers – 174 directed thesis-, to the mobility -355 national and international exchanges-, the participation in network and consortiums -672 participations in research projects-, the transference of results -598 books and 3.338 articles or chapters published- and spreading -2.565 contributions in congresses, in which 53 of them were coordinated by Project members.

Project Acis&Galatea

ACIS&GALATEA. Actividades de Investigación en Mitocrítica Cultural (ref. H2015/HUM-3362) was funded by The Community of Madrid and the The European Social Fund Plus. Duration: 01/01/2016-30/06/2019.

Objectives

The general aim of Project “Acis&Galatea” is to prove the intimate relationship between mythology and the cultural configuration of Madrid (both as a city and autonomous community), Spain and Europe (and western civilization when the investigation requires it) in contemporary times (20^th and 21^st century). With this objective in mind, it will conduct the study of myths and legends through celebrations, tourism and the leisure and cultural industry. The particular aim of the Project is to determine the social impact that myths and legends currently represent in celebrations, tourism, the industry and the environmental attitudes in the different stratums and social communities of Madrid, Spain and Europe.

Participant Groups

The Project is, fundamentally, an interdisciplinary project, due to the configuration of the groups integrated in it as well as the means used (literature, plastic, musical and performative arts, popular holidays and celebrations). There is a 66,95% of women and a 33,05% of men from 10 countries y 30 different universities.

The Project has 10 beneficiary groups integrated: ACIS (Grupo de Investigación de Mitocrítica) (Myth Criticism Research Group), CIL II (Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum), ETICASGRIEGAS (Influencias de las éticas griegas en la filosofía contemporánea) (Greek Ethic’s Influences in Contemporary Philosophy), GIAP (Grupo de Investigación de Patrimonio y Culturas Populares) (Popular Patrimony and Cultures Research Group), GIECO (Ecocrítica)(Ecocriticism), IAI (Innovación y análisis de la imagen)(Innovation and Image Analysis), INTRA (Estudios de discursos y textos para la interpretación y traducción) (Studies of Discourses and Texts for Interpretation and Translation), POETICS (Poéticas en Lengua Inglesa) (Poetics in the English Language), RECEPTION (Grupo de Investigación en Estudios de Recepción) (Reception Studies Research Group) y SIIM (Estudios en Intermedialidad y Mediación Intercultural) (Intermediality and Cultural Mediation Studies). These groups belong to the universities of Madrid: Complutense (3),  Alcalá (3), Autónoma (1), Francisco de Vitoria (1), Pontificia de Comillas (1) and CSIC (1). The Project also has 3 associated groups: CLE (U. de Lausanne), CRLC (U. Paris-Sorbona) y EFI (U. of Zaragoza).

There are 6 associations adhered to the Project (ADIREL, ARTE, ASTERIA, AWM, CLAI and SEEC), 2 foundations (PASTOR and PONS), 3 companies (BRISMAR, LIBFRAN y NORA) and, according to the official announcement (B.O.C.M. nº 176, Tít. 1, Art. 5, 1, c, p. 37), 5 Associated Researchers connected to the Project (R. Gualberto, J.-J. Wunenburger, Mª J. Martín, L.A. Pérez y H. Jennings), grouped under the abbreviation DORIS.

New Shapes of Myths: an Interdisciplinary Methodology

Research Project: “Nuevas formas del mito: una metodología interdisciplinar” (2012-2015). Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, ref. FFI 2012-32594.

Presentation

Large range project in which there are 37 researchers from numerous specialties participating.

Scientific proposal

The aim of this project is to articulate an innovative method of myth criticism that allows a satisfactory study of myths in contemporary culture, marked by characteristics that have not yet been considered in a systematic way for criticism. Among the high social impact factors that affect in the production and modification of myths, the Project focuses on three: globalization, immanence and consumerism.

Contemporary culture has provoked two significant changes in that in relation to myths:

1. It has modified in a considerable way the reception and spread of ancient, medieval and modern myths.
2. It has promoted the creation of a new mythology that coexists with the latter.

Because of these changes, the methodology of traditional myth criticism has become inoperative and insufficient. Moreover, there is a need for a new methodology that, without excluding the achievement of the traditional myth criticism, can recount the myth nowadays and show it as a key element of the interpretation of contemporary society.

This myth criticism requires, among others, the following requirements:

1. It needs to have an interdisciplinary approach, uniting the contributions of literary theory, literature history, the fine arts and the new methods of spreading in the era of communications.
2. It needs to undertake the object of study from its interrelation with other human and social sciences, especially with sociology, anthropology and economy.

The Project team is formed by:

1. Researchers of previous experience in projects of myth criticism will use the developed methodology up to moment to study the myths in different arts.
2. Specialists in communication, anthropology, sociology and economy that will provide the knowledge of their areas for the study of myths.

The expected result is the creation of a new methodology of myth criticism, which is non-existent in the current international panorama, which allows to understand the complexity of the myths and their manifestations in contemporary age.

Mythological Contemporary Anthropology 

Research Project: “Antropología mítica contemporánea” (2007-2011). Ref: Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia HUM. 2007 – 62226.

Presentation

Large range project in which I have directed 30 researchers of diverse specialties, which included 10 young professors and 15 master’s degree students. We have analyzed, with great success, the reception of ancient, medieval and modern myths in the European literature of the 20^th century. The results of this research can be consulted in the volume Mito y mundo contemporáneo (see books). The Project has culminated with the 1^st International Congress of Myth Criticism: Myth and Subversion in the Contemporary Novel (march 2011), with 90 specialists from 25 countries. The records, with a selection of the best works presented, have been published under the title Myth and Subversion in the Contemporary Novel.

Scientific Proposal

The Project “Contemporary Mythical Anthropology” goes deeply in the reception of myths from the late 19^th century to present time. The matter of study is literature: novel, theater or poetry offer a singular testimony of archetypes, symbols, and configurator myths of our knowledge and our imaginary world. The concept of myth is used in all its meanings (philosophical, cultural, ethnological, religious, psychoanalytical, linguistic). It is only required that each study uses a coherent critic current.  

The Project focuses on myths inherited from ancient times (Narcissus, Phedra, Orpheus), great medieval and modern myths (Faustus, Don Juan), other philosophical (the eternal return), religious (the Holy Grail), typical (el Cid) or social (the empire, Marxism) mythical formulations. Just like in ancient and modern times, writers today use mythical images to express their aporia and wishes; they do it critically, fragmented or in a subversive way, but never the same as before.

This project aims to discern the methods of adaptation (translation, version, rejection, subversion) of myths to the contemporary mentality, to identify which ones are still operative for men and women today, to know, definitively, why some have become non-functional and why others, after going through contemporary remodeling, represent with full rights our illusions and frustrations.

Comparative and Reasoned Bibliography of the French-Spanish Literature of the 17th Century

Research project: “Making of a compared and reasoned bibliography of the French-Spanish literature in the 17^th century” (1992-1995). Ref. Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia PS91-0182.

The confrontation of 516 volumes about the relationship between Spain and France resulted in the Bibliographie critique de la littérature espagnole en France au XVIIe siècle. Présence et influence (see Books). This book modified the generalized conviction of the critic that thought that it was impossible to establish, in a rational and critical way, an exhaustive map of the literary relations between two countries. This monography, which dedicates 4/5 parts to theorical and critical thought, starts off a new conception of the bibliographic genre. This is shown in numerous reviews (Literary Research, Revista de Literatura, Modern Language Review, Revue de Littérature Comparée, Les Lettres Romanes, Studi Francesi, XVIIe Siècle, Bulletin of Hispanic Studies, Hispanic Review, Papers on French Seventeenth Century Literature, etc.). All of them enhance the innovative methodology and results, making this work a milestone in the conception of intercultural relationships. The volume is present in the main libraries of the academic world.