Postgraduate Languages Cultures and Societies 2024-2025

Eurovision is the largest musical event in the world, followed by 70 million people every year. Since its beginnings in 1956, the concept of Eurovision has been changing over the years and through different historical periods, especially with regard to conflicts and European identity and sense of belonging.

The popularity of the event makes it globally recognized by the general public, but what is hidden behind the festival? what meanings do the performances and visual representations have? how are countries, different cultures and folklore represented? Is Eurovision political? How does Eurovision represent national identity?

The purpose of this course is to study the different representation methods offered by the Eurovision Song Contest through not only its history, but also analysing the most recent examples of the festival, focusing especially on the new millennium, with the arrival of new countries into the contest.