Dr. Davidson builds on his existing work on Catalan terroir—and the fact that cava is not restricted to a geographic area—to argue that the symbolic charge of “cava” has become unstable. Exposure to ideological fights in the form of politically-motivated boycotts and the breaking away of a splinter group from the DO both raise the same questions: what and where is cava’s place?

Bob Davidson is Professor of Spanish & Catalan at the University of Toronto and Director of the Northrop Frye Centre at Victoria College. He is the author of Jazz Age Barcelona and The Hotel: Occupied Space and founder and co-editor of the Toronto Iberic book series at University of Toronto Press. He loves both cava and martinis.

It is suggested that participants read Dr. Robertson’s article, Terroir and Catalonia in anticipation of the event. To participate, please pre-register. Contact Caitlin McClelland at caitlinm1@uchicago.edu for questions.

Organized by Catalan Studies at The University of Chicago and the Joan Coromines Visiting Chair.