Dr Pilar Molina Taracena

My principal research interests lie in the field of 20th Century Spanish Literature, specifically poetry, Spanish Civil War poetry and conflict. My other research interests are Women Studies, Comparative Literature 20th Century, the connection between history and fiction, literary canons,  Sustainability Literacy in Language teaching and learning and Telecollaboration in Foreign Language teaching.

Since 2020 I am developing my teaching into sustainable literacy. In 2020, I joined the TU Dublin Sustainable Literacy Community of Practice and became an SDG Literacy Champion. I am a coeditor with Odette Gabaudan of LLHE Special Issue 12.2 2022 on Sustainability Literacy in Language Teaching and Learning.

June 2021-DEc 2023 I was a member of a partnership between TU Dublin-DCU on a telecollaboration project. I was co-leading the funded project ‘Enhancing Synchronous Interactions in Telecollaboration for Second Language Learning with Continued Self-reflection by Visualising Interactions’ with Odette Gabaudan in partnership with DCU. We got funding from Insight SFI research centre for data analytics (December 2021).

BOOKS

• La poesía de la guerra civil española: una perspectiva. Edited volumen (Peter Lang, 2020).
• La poética de la poesía de la guerra civil española: diversidad en la unidad (Peter Lang, 2016).

BOOK CHAPTERS

• ‘La construcción del canon poético en la primera década de la dictadura franquista’ in Larraz, Fernando and Santos Sánchez, Diego (ed), Discursos de la victoria: modelos de legitimación literaria y cultural del franquismo, Bern, Peter Lang, 2021, pp. 61-80.
• ‘La imagen de España como madre’ in Pilar Molina ed., La poesía de la guerra civil española: una perspectiva comparatista (Peter Lang, 2020), pp. 231-248.
• ‘La reescritura de la historia en la poesía de la Guerra Civil española’ in Dotras Bravo, A.-Santos Sánchez, D.-Augusto S. ed., Literatura y Re/escritura (Coimbra, Centro de Literatura Portuguesa, 2015), pp. 391-404.
• ‘El concepto ‘España’ como desencadenante de la moral de Victoria en la poesía de la Guerra Civil española’ in Susana Bayó Belenguer, Ciaran Consgrove, James Whiston ed., Living the Death of Democracy in The Civil War and its Aftermarch (Glasgow, Routledge, 2015), pp. 141-153.

ARTICLES IN PEER REVIEWED JOURNALS

• ‘Bibliographical Review on Sustainable Literacy in Language Learning and Teaching’, Language Learning in Higher Education, 12.2, December 2022.
• ‘Spanish Studies: Literature 1936-1975’, The Year’s Work in Modern Language Studies, vol.80, Brill, May 2020, pp. 397-408.
• ‘Spanish Studies: Literature 1936-1975’, The Year’s Work in Modern Language Studies, vol.79, Brill, May 2019, pp. 279-284.
• ‘Juan Gil-Albert: creador de la poética de guerra del bando republicano’, revista AUCA, 28, Julio 2013, pp. 25-32. 
• ‘El concepto “España” como desencadenante de la moral de victoria en la poesía de la guerra civil española’, Bulletin of Spanish Studies, Volume 89, Issue 7-8, 2012, pp. 141-153

2016 - Current   Lecturer in Spanish, Language Studies, TU Dublin. Duties:

• Teaching in BA International Business and Languages, BA International Tourism and Languages and BA Languages and English Studies:
  • Spanish Language Interaction 1 (1st , full term, core module)
  • Spanish Language in use 1 (1st , full term, core module)
  • Spanish language in Use 2 (2nd , full term, core module)
  • Business Project and language Competency (full term, core module, 3rd year)
  • Spanish for Business (final yr., September- December, core module)
  • Spanish Current Affairs (final yr., full term, optional)
  • Spanish Language 1A (1st , full term, core)
  • Spanish Language 1B (1st , full term, optional)
  • Spanish and Latin American Studies 1 (1st , full term, core)
  • Spanish Professional Communication and Preparation Year Abroad (2nd , full term, core)
  • Spanish Language 3 (3rd , full term, core)
• Designing and coordinating an on-line module Spanish 3 for students doing their year abroad in Spain.
• Designing exam papers, carrying out assessment, monitoring and evaluation of examinations work and providing an academic and consultative support to students in their learning
• Coordinating and supervising Year 3 Study Abroad in Spain and Incoming Erasmus students from Spain: mentoring students, coordinating with partner universities, administering scholarships.
• Blended teaching. Use of Blackboard and Brightspace: on-line assessments and module development.
• Working in interdisciplinary teams on programme development and exam design together with other colleagues.

2012 - 2018 Tutor in the Applied Language Centre, UCD. Duties:

• Teaching several levels (A1-B2) of Spanish language modules being offered as an elective module to all faculties.
• Development of course materials for
• Blended Teaching. Use of
• Carrying out assessment, monitoring and evaluation of examinations
• Providing an academic and consultative support to students in their learning
• Working in interdisciplinary

October 2015  Lectured in M.A. Modern Languages Literature & Culture Narratives of Conflict, Maynooth University.

2014-2015 Tutor in Spanish Department, Maynooth University. Duties:

• Lecturing in Language and Literature modules in first, second and final year including Grammar, Translation and The Short Novel in Spain and Latin
• Designing two modules for second year students: conversation and Introduction to translation English to Spanish.
• Developing teaching and learning materials and exam papers.
• Blended teaching. Use of Moodle.
• Carried out assessment, monitoring and evaluation of examinations

2009  Lectured short course on Spanish poetry 20th Century in UCC.

2004-2006  Language   assistant,   Spanish Department, National University of Ireland, Galway. Duties:

• Teaching modules in Spanish Language such as Conversation, Writing Skills or
• Teaching Spanish to mature students in the Evening Diploma in Spanish.
• Taking part on the team in charge of developing the curricula in First
• Carried out assessment, monitoring and evaluation of examinations
• Supervising research   projects for undergraduate students.

1999-2002 Lecturer   in   Spanish   in   Villa Balestra International College, Rome. Duties:

• Teaching Spanish Grammar
• Curriculum
• Designing exam papers, carrying out assessment, monitoring and evaluation of examinations

SUPERVISION OF UNDERGRADUATE DISSERTATIONS, MASTER’S AND PHD STUDENTS

• April 2023: Coordination of the visit of a research student from Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona to TU Dublin.
• July-August 2022: Coordination of the visit of a research student from Universidad de Valencia to TU Dublin.
• 2020-Current: Supervision of eight undergraduate dissertations.
• 2018-2024: Supervision of a PhD student. Her PhD project was: ‘Translation as a tool of political propaganda in Spanish Civil War Poetry: Spanish-English Translation Analysis’. Grade: Excellent, Summa Cum Laude.
• 2016 – 2018: Research Project Supervisor in Hibernia College: I supervised two postgraduate students doing the M.A. in Post Primary Education.

JOURNAL ACTIVITIES

• Guest editor special issue on Sustainable Literacy in Language Learning and Teaching for Language Learning in Higher Education
• Reviewer for Bulletin of Hispanic Studies
• Contributing Editor for the Spanish Literature section of The Year’s Work in Modern Language Studies

RESEARCH DISSEMINATION

• September 2022: Presentation ‘Teaching Enhancing Research in 3 minutes' competition organised by Spanish Researchers Society in Ireland. Awarded price to 'the most impactful presentation on future generations'.
• October 2020: Interview  about  Spanish  Civil  War  poetry  in  the  Radio program ‘Researchers around  the  World’  in  Radio Libertad.
• July 2020: Online  Book  Launch  of  La  poesía   de   la   Guerra  civil    española:    una    perspectiva    comparatista within Pleibéricos events. Podcast of my presentation.
• February 2027: Staff Research Seminar in Maynooth University about Spanish Civil War Poetry.

ASOCIATIONS MEMBERSHIP

• Association of Hispanists of Great Britain and Ireland (AHGBI).
• Spanish Researchers Society Ireland (SRSI).
• Association Contemporary Iberian Studies (ACIS).
• EUROCALL
• International Association of Hispanist (AIH)

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES

• December 2023: TU Dublin Open Day: Languages stand.
• December 2019: Think Languages Event, Convention Centre Dublin: TU Dublin stand.
• December 2018: TU Dublin Open Day: Languages stand.
• November 2018: Round Table ‘Women and Research’ organised by SRSI in Instituto Cervantes Dublin.
• September 2018: Higher Options, RDS: TU Dublin stand.

CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIUMS

 ORGANISATION:

• 16^th January 2024: Workshop for Language Studies Staff on Sustainable Literacy in language Teaching and Learning.
• 4^th-6^th September 2024: ACIS (Association Contemporary Iberian Studies) Annual Conference, TU Dublin
• 28th October 2020: ‘UN75 Dialogues’, TU Dublin. Chairperson of the Dialogue on Shifting Demographics.
• 17th -18th June 2021: Approaching Contemporary Challenges of Global Migration International Conference, TU Dublin. Chair of the organisation committee School of Languages, Law and Social Sciences.

CONTRIBUTIONS:

• September 2024: ‘La revista La Ametralladora (1937-1939) paradigma de propaganda e ideología a través de la poesía escrita por los soldados del bando nacional durante la Guerra Civil española’, Association for Contemporary Iberian Studies - 45th Annual Conference, TU Dublin.
• May 2024: ‘Sowing Seeds of Change: Cultivating Sustainability Literacy in TU Dublin's Language Studies Curriculum’, Symposium on Education for Sustainable Development: The Contribution of Universities, University of Malta.
• November 2023: Workshop on Sustainable Literacy in Language Teaching and Learning, UNITAR Conference, UN Campus Bonn.
• October 2021:  '“Musas y poetisas”:  el  canon  poético  femenino  en  el primer franquismo', II Congreso Internacional Literatura y Franquismo: ortodoxias y heterodoxias, University of Alcalá.
• November 2019: ‘La construcción del  canon poético en la primera década de la dictadura franquista’, Congreso Internacional Literatura y Franquismo: ortodoxias y heterodoxias, University of Alcalá.
• March 2018: ‘La Antologia de poesia Madre España: homenaje de los poetas chilenos como participación en la guerra civil española’, Annual Conference AHGBI, University of Leeds.
• July 2016: ‘The role of women poets during the Spanish Civil War: who, what, when, why’, international symposium ‘The Spanish Civil War and World Literatures’ organized  by the Institute of Modern Languages Research, School of Advanced Study, University of London.

• May 2014: ‘Lugares comunes de la poesía de la Guerra Civil española: ¿mito o realidad?’, IV International Conference BETA, King’s College London.
• April 2014: ‘El componente espacial en la poesía de la Guerra Civil española’, Annual Conference AHGBI, NUIG.
• March 2012: ‘La reescritura de la historia en la poesía de la Guerra Civil española’, II International Conference BETA, Coimbra University.
• July 2009: ‘El concepto “España” como desencadenante de la moral de victoria en la poesía de la Guerra Civil española’, International Conference Agonía Republicana –Living the Death of an Era, Trinity College Dublin.
• April 2009: ‘La poética de guerra en Hora de España’, Annual Conference AHGBI, Queen’s University Belfast’.
• February 2008: ‘Heroes’ Portrait in Romancero general de la Guerra de España as Transmition of Memory’, International Interdisciplinary Conference Spanish Civil War: History, Memory, Representation, Welsh Centre of International Affairs, Cardiff.
• December 2007: ‘The idea of Iberia in the  poetry  written  during  the  Spanish Civil War’, Research Symposium Imagining Iberia, King’s College London.
• November 2007: ‘Spanish Civil  War  poetry:  unity  or  diversity’, Postgraduate Students Symposium, Queen’s University Belfast.
• September 2005:  ‘Ideology, history and creation in España aparta de mí   este cáliz y España en el corazón’, International Conference War Memories-Memory Wars University College Cork.
• February 1999: ‘Citizenship: the reason for the survival of the theatre’, University International Congress, UNIV’99, on the topic of Citizenship.
• February 1998: ‘Science fiction  narrative’,  University  International  Congress, UNIV’98, on the topic of Human Progress, Human Rights.