In 2005, Don Quixote in Wisconsin was the pilot version for a recurring annual series designed to foster the teaching and discussion of major works of literature, philosophy, and social thought, in this case the epic comic novel, Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes. This state-wide initiative was coordinated with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and with support from the UW-Madison Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian Studies Program (LACIS), Center for European Studies, Language Institute, Integrated Liberal Studies program, Honors Program, and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Lectures by Roberto González Echevarria and Barbara Fuchs were key events in the project.
With Don Quixote in Wisconsin, the Center joined organizations and universities around the world in marking the 400th (and 401st) anniversary of the publication of Part I of Miquel de Cervantes Don Quixote. The project involved 20-25 Wisconsin high schools and offered a teacher colloquium, lectures, curricular resources, and a student conference in spring of 2006. The Center actively worked to involve teachers in a variety of subjects, including social studies, literature, Spanish, and even environmental studies. An illustration for the project, created by designer Bill Lindmeier, imagines Don Quixote riding a badger with a contemporary wind farm in the background. This fantastic image expresses our hope that teachers and students would explore the Quixote widely and for its timeless relevance.
Support for Don Quixote in Wisconsin
Don Quixote in Wisconsin was funded in part by a major grant from the Wisconsin Humanities Council.