Funded by

La Comunidad de Madrid

Myth and representation: Theoretical and Practical Activities of Innovation in Cultural Myth Criticism

Duration of the project: 01/01/2025 – 31/12/2027

Address

Facultad de Filología, Edificio A, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid

Proyecto Andrómeda 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).

The investigation groups are:

– Grupo ACIS, Grupo de Investigación de Mitocrítica (UCM).

– Grupo BiTeI, “Biblia: Textos e Iconografía” (UCM).

– Grupo SIIM, “Studies on Intermediality and Intercultural Mediation” (UCM).

– Grupo ÉTICAS GRIEGAS, “Influencias de las éticas griegas en la filosofía
contemporánea” (UAM).

– Grupo InScribo-CIL II, “Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum” (UAH).

– Grupo LITTERAE, “Comparatismo, estudios de recepción y tradición clásica”
(UAM).

– Grupo RECEPTION, “Estudios Interdisciplinares de Recepción” (UAH).

– Grupo IAI, “Innovación y Análisis de la Imagen” (UFV).

– Grupo NYL, “Grupo de Investigación Narrativas y Lenguajes” (UV).

From left to right: Pablo Úrbez (NYL), Val Gago (InScribo-CIL II), Asun López-Varela (SIIM), Julio Pérez (Éticas Griegas), José Manuel Losada (ACIS), Guadalupe Seijas (BiTeI), Paloma Ortiz de Urbina (RECEPTION) y Pablo López Raso (IAI)

The associated entities are:

– Asociación Madrid Capital del Mito.

– Asociación Wagneriana de Madrid.

– Asteria (Asociación Internacional de Mitocrítica, Madrid).

– Atelier Solar (Asociación de espacio artístico, Madrid).

– Ayuntamiento de Pozuelo (Concejalía de Cultura).

– Centro Cultural de Hortaleza (Distrito de Hortaleza, Madrid).

– CMS (“Centre for Myth Studies”, University of Essex, Reino Unido).

– CRLC (“Centre de Recherche en Littérature Comparé”, Sorbonne Université,
Francia).

– Fundación ONCE.

– Fundación Pastor de Estudios Clásicos.

– ICCRR (Instituto de Ciencias de las Religiones, UCM, Madrid).

– Red Latinoamericana de Mitocrítica Pachamama.

– Sociedad Española de Estética y Teoría de las Artes (Madrid).

– Sociedad Española de Estudios Clásicos (Madrid).

Activities and divulgation of the project:

To reach its goals, ANDRÓMEDA has designed a work plan that includes:
– Investigation activities, organized in seminars, international congresses and work conferences.

– Scientific publications in high impact magazines as well as monographs that will contribute to the progress of cultural myth criticism.

– Transfer of results: the project will use digital tools and social media accounts to spread its investigation as well as create cultural events such as exhibitions, workshops and thematic routes around Madrid to involve the community.

Budget and resources
The project has a budget of 342 000 euros to cover staff expenses, acquisition of audiovisual equipment and the costs of spreading and publication activities.

Conclusion
ANDRÓMEDA, following previous initiatives of cultural myth criticism, aims to strengthen the knowledge around the part myths play in the construction of the cultural identity of contemporary society. The project, with an international interest and an interdisciplinary approach, focuses on consolidating itself as a model in the study of myths and its representations, with the goal of promoting the training of new researchers and of creating a mythological patrimony, both documented and fully accessible for the public.

Previous projects in this area
1. Nuevas formas del mito: una metodología interdisciplinar, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Proyectos de Investigación Fundamental no orientada, (ref. FFI 2012-32594).

― Formed by 38 members from 23 departments, 16 faculties y 10 universities.

― Budget: 16 800 €.

― Duration: 01/02/2013-31/01/2016 (36 months). ― http://www.ucm.es/actea/

2. Antropología mítica contemporánea, Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, Proyectos de Investigación Fundamental no orientada, (ref. HUM2007-62226/FILO).

― Formed by 29 members from 11 departments, 6 faculties y 4 universities.

― Budget: 60 000 €.

― Duration: 01/10/2007-31/03/2011 (42 months).

3. AGLAYA. Estrategias de innovación en mitocrítica cultural, Programa de actividades de I + D entre grupos de investigación de la Consejería de Ciencia, Universidades e Innovación de la Comunidad de Madrid en Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, cofinan-ciado por el Fondo Social Europeo, (ref. H2019/HUM-5714).

― Formed by: 157 investigators, members of 13 Groups de Investigation from 7 universities, 21 entities (institutes, associations, foundations) and 7 companies.

― Groups of Investigation: ACIS, Grupo de Investigación de Mitocrítica (UCM), SIIM, Studies on Inter-mediality and Intercultural Mediation (UCM), POETICS, Poéticas en lengua inglesa (UCM), ERC, Estudios Rusos Complutenses (UCM), INTERCOM, Estructuras comunicativas e interacciones en los distintos ni-veles de la comunicación (UCM), RECEPTION, Estudios de Recepción (UAH), InScribo CIL II, Corpus Ins-criptionum Latinarum (UAH), GIECO, Grupo de Investigación en Ecocrítica y Humanidades Ambientales (UAH), ÉTICAS GRIEGAS, Influencias de las éticas griegas en la filosofía contemporánea (UAM), HHR, Historiografía e historia de las religiones (UC3M), IAI, Innovación y Análisis de la Imagen (UFV), INTRA, Interculturalidad y Traductología (UPC), ETCC, Estudios Transversales de Creación Contemporánea (UAN).

― Budget: 208 308 €.

― Duration: 01/01/2020-30/04/2023 (40 months). ― http://acisgalatea.com/

4. ACIS & GALATEA. Actividades de investigación en mitocrítica cultural, Programa de actividades de I + D entre grupos de investigación de la Consejería de Educación, Ju-ventud y Deporte de la Comunidad de Madrid en Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, cofinanciado por el Fondo Social Europeo; (ref. S2015/HUM-3362).

― Formed by 125 investigators, members of 10 Groups de Investigation from 6 universities and 13 entities (institutes, associations, foundations) y 2 companies.

― Budget: 199 268,44 €.

― Duration: 01/01/2016-30/06/2019 (42 months). ― http://acisgalatea.com/

― Grupos de investigación: ACIS, Grupo de Investigación de Mitocrítica (UCM), POETICS, Poéticas en lengua inglesa (UCM), SIIM, Studies on Intermediality and Intercultural Mediation (UCM), ÉTICAS GRIEGAS, Influencias de las éticas griegas en la filosofía contemporánea (UAM), GIAP (Patrimonio y Culturas Populares (CSIC), GIECO, Grupo de Investigación en Ecocrítica y Humanidades Ambientales (UAH), InS-cribo CIL II, Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum (UAH), RECEPTION, Estudios de Recepción (UAH), IAI, In-novación y Análisis de la Imagen (UFV), INTRA, Interculturalidad y Traductología (UPC).