This session, on the one hand, provides historical context to understand how these three areas have been overlooked by the critic. On the other hand, each panelist offers a distinct theoretical and literary framework to illuminate the occurrences of invisibility within their respective domains. The objective is to broaden the discourse beyond the realm of Francoism and draw parallels with invisibilities observed in other global contexts. Moreover, the session aligns with the MLA 2025 presidential theme of visibility since this panel will help these topics to create interest in the audience. Furthermore, it lines up with MLA’s mission to foster interdisciplinary conversations about languages, literatures, and cultures.

Francoism has been observed from different prisms: censorship (Beneyto 1977, Abellán 1980, O’Byrne 1999, Montejo 2013, Larraz 2014), repression (Payne 1987, Rodríguez 2008, De Riquer 2010, Casanova 2015, Gómez Bravo 2017), moral and ideological control (Tusell 1999, Moradiellos 2000, Payne 2014, García Blay and Micó Escrivá 2019, Lorente 2020), or any type of exile (Ilie 1981, Sarup 1996, Ferriz Roure 2001, Cornejo 2008, Bacardí 2015, Aznar Soler 2017, Castellanos, 2021), among other topics. This special session contributes to this scholarship and adds value to it by combining this field with other overlooked such as the ones presented in this panel.

This panel encapsulates three distinct yet interconnected perspectives shedding light on various facets of visibility and invisibility during the Francoist era in Spain. Benita Sampedro’s presentation delves into the colonial endeavors of Francoism in Africa, highlighting the often-overlooked aspect of Spanish imperialism and its impact on African populations. It explores the Francoist regime's utilization of colonial sciences and biomedical interventions as tools for exploitation and control. By focusing on the Francoist thinktank Instituto de Estudios Africanos (IDEA), the paper exposes the colonial racial stereotypes perpetuated by Francoist scientists (i.e., Vicente Beato and Ramón Villarino’s Capacidad mental del negro (1952)) while also acknowledging the resistance and limitations faced by African communities subjected to these experiments.

Moving from the colonial peripheries to the urban peripheries of Madrid, Jacqueline Sheean’s work discusses the emergence of cine quinqui, a cinema cycle that brought visibility to Madrid’s marginalized suburbs during Franco's "Economic Miracle" period (1951-1973). Quinqui films such as the ones directed by Eloy de la Iglesia and Carlos Saura depicted the harsh realities of poverty, delinquency, and social exclusion experienced by urban youth, challenging the sanitized image of economic prosperity propagated by the regime. Through the representation of space in these films, the presentation exposes the oppressive urban development policies that created a heavily policed boundary zone, revealing the darker side of Spain's economic growth.

Finally, Francisco Cantero shifts focus to the realm of poetry and exile, exploring the works of Luis Cernuda (1902-1963) and the palpable (in)visibilities within his poetry written from his exile in Mexico. Through an analysis of Cernuda's exile experience and his poetic articulation of desire, memory, and corporeality, the presentation elucidates how poetry becomes a medium for navigating the complexities of Francoist repression. By examining Cernuda's engagement with time, space, and the transgressed body, Cantero offers insights into the interplay between text, context, and politics during a period of crisis.

Collectively, these presentations highlight the multifaceted nature of visibility and invisibility during Francoism, spanning from the colonial projects in Africa to the urban outskirts of Madrid and the poetic expressions of exile. They underscore the importance of critically examining various forms of (in)visibility within the socio-political and cultural landscape of Francoist Spain, thereby enriching our understanding of this tumultuous period in Spanish history.

Considering pauses, transitions, and brief introductions, we expect each presentation to be around 18 minutes long. At the end of the sessions, we expect to leave 15 minutes for Q&A.