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Richard A. Mazzara
Oakland Univ. (MI), Emeritus This is the fourth in our occasional series of reports on Hispanism throughout the world. The first report was on Hispanism in France (70.3 [September 1987]: 691-93). The second was on Hispanism in the United Kingdom (71.4 [December 1988]: 969-80.) The third was on Hispanism in Italy (72.4 [December 1989]: 1087-88.) In an effort to come to grips with what is probably Argentina's most serious intellectual and cultural crisis ever, the Department of Humanities of the Universidad Nacional del Sur in Bahía Blanca sponsored the First Argentinian Congress of Hispanists in 1986. This event gave rise to the Argentinian Association of Hispanists (AAH) whose chief function has been to strengthen the historical bonds between Spain and Argentina. This function is an important part of the intensive work required to combat national inertia, malaise, and the painful scarcity of material means and preserve the tradition of the good, the true, and the beautiful. In order to pursue these goals teachers and scholars must have faith in the future, firm resolve, and imagination. The exchange of information, publications, and services must increase at all costs through collaboration between institutions and persons, the University and its milieu, Argentina and other countries. International congresses and other scientific encounters must therefore continue to be realized. The numerous foreign recipients of the now rare Argentinian scientific publications must try to be patient if they receive nothing new for a time. It is not unreasonable, how ever, to ask them not to interrupt the flow of their publications, which currently represent Argentina's almost exclusive source of bibliography. No contribution to the «Permanent Fund of Argentine Literature», which should be addressed to the Boletín de Estudios Hispánicos (BOEHI) of the Universidad Nacional del Sur, however modest, will be rejected. As planned, the Second Argentinian Congress of Hispanists was held in the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the National University of Cuyo in Mendoza on May 18-20, 1989. Sponsored in part by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and attended by the Consul General of Spain in Mendoza and other Spanish dignitaries, its purposes were to inaugurate the commemoration of the Fifth Centenary of the Discovery of America, celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the University of Cuyo, and to renew the tradition of Argentinian Hispanism. Several speakers spoke to the latter general point, and the Congress was marked by a notable variety of presentations in the sciences and humanities that ilustrated specifics. The sessions were grouped according to the following themes: 1. Middle Ages 2. Golden Age, including the Renaissance, Baroque, Cervantes and Theater 3. Modern Period 4. Linguistics 5. Hispanicity-The Discovery, the Conquest, Ideas and Doctrines 6. Comparative Studies-Relations, Women in Science and Literature, Exile and Immigration 7. Regionalism and Folklore 8. Pedagogy 9. Contemporary Narrative and Thought 10. Contemporary Theater 11. Contemporary Poetry. 330 of some 400 members attended. 155 papers were read from Germany,
Canada, Spain, the United States, Holland, Uruguay and Argentina, many of which
will no doubt soon appear in the «Acts» of the Congress. Meanwhile, some of
the highlights are given briefly in the BOEHI of April-June 1989, pp. 3-5, and
there are the «Restimenes» which contain abstracts of all the papers, both of
which may be consulted, along with the Program, by contacting Hispania's
offices. Not only is the membership to be congratulated for its fine
participation, which at a time when funds are scarce represented considerable
personal sacrifice, but also the host institution for the success of the
Congress, including all
A meeting of the AAH was held on May 20 at which elections took place as well as a discussion of the tentative dates and location of the Third Congress early in 1992. All suggestions and opinions are to be addressed to the current President, Professor Emilia de Zuleta, Gabinete 319, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Casilla de Correo 345, Correo Central, 5500 Mendoza, which will be the address of the AAH until 1992. Requests for membership should be sent to Professor Luz Arrigoni de Allamand, General Secretary of the AAH, Aristides Villanueva 321, 5500 Mendoza. Annual dues of US. $10.00 must be paid by all members, old and new, by the time of the Third Congress. 
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