Fear of being laughed at crosses cultural boundaries

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Fear of being laughed at crosses cultural boundaries

What is the difference between a shy person and another who suffers from gelotophobia? One of the aims of a study published recently in the scientific journal Humor, which was led by a team from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, with the participation of researchers from 73 other countries, was to find out if there is a valid and reliable way of evaluating the fear of being laughed at within different cultures.

«People laugh at others for many different reasons», Victor Rubio, a psychologist at the Autonomous University of Madrid and one of the Spanish researchers taking part in the study, tells SINC.

«This causes an anxiety or fear response in the person affected, leading them to avoid situations in which such circumstances may arise, and this may even become a problem that impacts on their social life», explains the expert.

The lead authors of the research study commissioned 93 scientists to use a questionnaire (translated into 42 languages) on a sample of 22,610 people in order to find out whether they suffered from gelotophobia, which comes from the Greek gelos, \’laugh\’, and phobos, \’fear\’.

«Our study makes it possible to draw a clear distinction between people who suffer from this phobia and those who do not, as well as showing the scale of cultural differences, which are so important in any possible psychological treatment», says Rubio.

Spain, inclined towards the insecurity pole

This phobia was discussed for the first time in Spain at the ninth International Summer School and Symposium on Humour and Laughter: Theory, Research and Applications, held at the University of Granada last summer.

According to the experts, people can be classified within two opposite poles involved in the fear of being laughed at – the \’insecurity reaction\’ dimension (trying to hide one\’s lack of self-confidence from others, or believing that one is involuntarily funny) and \’avoidance reactions\’, whereby one avoids situations in which one has been laughed at, and the dimension of low-high tendencies to suspect that if others are laughing, they are laughing at you.

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Although this phenomenon is shared by all cultures, the study shows there are certain differences. Countries such as Turkmenistan and Cambodia are represented within the first dimension of insecurity reactions, while people in Iraq, Egypt and Jordan are much more likely to avoid situations in which they have been laughed at. Spain is «slightly inclined towards the insecurity pole».

Another strange result is that people in Finland are the least likely to believe that if people laugh in their presence they are laughing at them (8.5%), while 80% of people in Thailand believe this to be the case.

Laughter is an emotional expression that is innate in human beings. This means laughing at others is also believed to be a universal phenomenon. However, the fear of being laughed at causes some people enormous problems in their social lives. This is known as gelotophobia, a disorder that affects people in all cultures alike.

What is the difference between a shy person and another who suffers from gelotophobia? One of the aims of a study published recently in the scientific journal Humor, which was led by a team from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, with the participation of researchers from 73 other countries, was to find out if there is a valid and reliable way of evaluating the fear of being laughed at within different cultures.

«People laugh at others for many different reasons», Victor Rubio, a psychologist at the Autonomous University of Madrid and one of the Spanish researchers taking part in the study, tells SINC.

«This causes an anxiety or fear response in the person affected, leading them to avoid situations in which such circumstances may arise, and this may even become a problem that impacts on their social life», explains the expert.

The lead authors of the research study commissioned 93 scientists to use a questionnaire (translated into 42 languages) on a sample of 22,610 people in order to find out whether they suffered from gelotophobia, which comes from the Greek gelos, \’laugh\’, and phobos, \’fear\’.

«Our study makes it possible to draw a clear distinction between people who suffer from this phobia and those who do not, as well as showing the scale of cultural differences, which are so important in any possible psychological treatment», says Rubio.

Spain, inclined towards the insecurity pole

This phobia was discussed for the first time in Spain at the ninth International Summer School and Symposium on Humour and Laughter: Theory, Research and Applications, held at the University of Granada last summer.

According to the experts, people can be classified within two opposite poles involved in the fear of being laughed at – the \’insecurity reaction\’ dimension (trying to hide one\’s lack of self-confidence from others, or believing that one is involuntarily funny) and \’avoidance reactions\’, whereby one avoids situations in which one has been laughed at, and the dimension of low-high tendencies to suspect that if others are laughing, they are laughing at you.

Although this phenomenon is shared by all cultures, the study shows there are certain differences. Countries such as Turkmenistan and Cambodia are represented within the first dimension of insecurity reactions, while people in Iraq, Egypt and Jordan are much more likely to avoid situations in which they have been laughed at. Spain is «slightly inclined towards the insecurity pole».

Another strange result is that people in Finland are the least likely to believe that if people laugh in their presence they are laughing at them (8.5%), while 80% of people in Thailand believe this to be the case.

More information: R. T. Proyer et al. «Breaking ground in cross-cultural research on the fear of being laughed at (gelotophobia): A multi-national study involving 73 countries». Humor 22(1/2): 253, 2009.
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Professor Compiles 4,000 Graphic Math Jokes, Comics and Cartoons

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Professor Compiles 4,000 Graphic Math Jokes, Comics and Cartoons

A professor has compiled about 4,000 graphic jokes by more than 700 humorists from all over the world that are related to mathematics and its teaching, a tool he uses during his lessons of “Didactics of Mathematics” in the University of Granada’s Faculty of Sciences of Education.

Pablo Flores Martínez has devoted more than 14 years to compiling jokes, comics and cartoons with mathematics as a common theme. During his lessons, he uses these jokes to “raise a specific related to mathematics” and explain it to his students.
To that end, every day, he consults the graphic humor section of more than 20 newspapers, besides several specialized Web pages which compile jokes from all over the world.

“I enter them whenever I can, and I select the most interesting ones,” Martínez said.

In evaluating new material to add to his collection, Martínez considers mathematic jokes to be those that comply with at lest one of the following conditions. They must
• include the word “mathematics” or a derivative
• use terms identified with mathematics, such as numbers, geometric figures usual in mathematics, graphic representations or mathematical signs
• present situations which can be mathematically solved
• deal with mathematics teaching

Martínez has prepared a database where he has classified his cartoons in different categories:
• numbers
• geometry
• algebra
• operations
• measure
• analysis
• statistics
• proportion
• functions

Part of his collection has been compiled in the book Graphic Humor in the Classroom of Mathematics, and will be object of study in another work which is about to be published.
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After Brazil, Spain thinks divorce is a »good thing»

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After Brazil, Spain thinks divorce is a \’\’good thing\’\’

Spain has come out to be the second country in the world where divorce is better accepted socially, preceded only by Brazil.

Around 79 percent of Spanish people think that, when a couple is not able to solve their marital problems, divorce is the best solution.

The data was derived from the study «Social perception of divorce in Spain», published in the Revista Española de Investigaciones Sociológicas (Reis) by Professor Diego Becerril Ruiz, of the Department of Sociology of the University of Granada.

It also reflects that the acceptation of divorce has increased in our country during the 90\’\’s.

The data collected from a complete bibliographical review, reveals that the young, contrary to what could be expected, are not the sector of the population who is more in favour of divorce as a solution.

«They are the sector which disagrees the most,» Becerril said.

«Maybe because these generations have been brought up within situations of divorce and have experienced, to a greater or lesser extent, the breakup process,» he stated.

Marital status also defines clear situations as regards the acceptation of divorce.

The divorced and separated agree to a greater extent, whereas the widows and widowers are the sector most in disagreement.

In addition, as regards ideology, those who are closer to positions of extreme left are the group that agrees the most with divorce as a solution for a troubled marriage, whereas people closer to extreme right disagree with such idea.

In his work, Becerril has also analysed the data of the World Values Survey, according to which for Spanish people «divorce is the most justifiable behaviour» among a series of proposed social behaviours such as prostitution, abortion or euthanasia.

With an average of 6.42 out of a possible 10, divorce is the most accepted, followed by homosexuality, with a 6.17.

On the other hand of the scales and against the high acceptation of divorce in Spain, the work of the researcher of the UGR has revealed that Japan is the country (of the 35 countries analysed) where divorce is worst accepted socially with just about 30 percent of those polled in favour, followed by Filipinas and the United States of America.
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After Brazil, Spain thinks divorce is a ‘good thing’

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After Brazil, Spain thinks divorce is a \’good thing\’

Spain has come out to be the second country in the world where divorce is better accepted socially, preceded only by Brazil.

Around 79 percent of Spanish people think that, when a couple is not able to solve their marital problems, divorce is the best solution.

The data was derived from the study «Social perception of divorce in Spain», published in the Revista Espaqola de Investigaciones Sociolsgicas (Reis) by Professor Diego Becerril Ruiz, of the Department of Sociology of the University of Granada.

It also reflects that the acceptation of divorce has increased in our country during the 90\’s.

The data collected from a complete bibliographical review, reveals that the young, contrary to what could be expected, are not the sector of the population who is more in favour of divorce as a solution.

«They are the sector which disagrees the most,» Becerril said.

«Maybe because these generations have been brought up within situations of divorce and have experienced, to a greater or lesser extent, the breakup process,» he stated.

Marital status also defines clear situations as regards the acceptation of divorce.

The divorced and separated agree to a greater extent, whereas the widows and widowers are the sector most in disagreement.

In addition, as regards ideology, those who are closer to positions of extreme left are the group that agrees the most with divorce as a solution for a troubled marriage, whereas people closer to extreme right disagree with such idea.

In his work, Becerril has also analysed the data of the World Values Survey, according to which for Spanish people «divorce is the most justifiable behaviour» among a series of proposed social behaviours such as prostitution, abortion or euthanasia.

With an average of 6.42 out of a possible 10, divorce is the most accepted, followed by homosexuality, with a 6.17.

On the other hand of the scales and against the high acceptation of divorce in Spain, the work of the researcher of the UGR has revealed that Japan is the country (of the 35 countries analysed) where divorce is worst accepted socially with just about 30 percent of those polled in favour, followed by Filipinas and the United States of America.
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After Brazil, Spain thinks divorce is a ‘good thing’

Escrito por

After Brazil, Spain thinks divorce is a \’good thing\’

Spain has come out to be the second country in the world where divorce is better accepted socially, preceded only by Brazil.

Around 79 percent of Spanish people think that, when a couple is not able to solve their marital problems, divorce is the best solution.

The data was derived from the study «Social perception of divorce in Spain», published in the Revista Espaqola de Investigaciones Sociolsgicas (Reis) by Professor Diego Becerril Ruiz, of the Department of Sociology of the University of Granada.

It also reflects that the acceptation of divorce has increased in our country during the 90\’s.

The data collected from a complete bibliographical review, reveals that the young, contrary to what could be expected, are not the sector of the population who is more in favour of divorce as a solution.

«They are the sector which disagrees the most,» Becerril said.

«Maybe because these generations have been brought up within situations of divorce and have experienced, to a greater or lesser extent, the breakup process,» he stated.

Marital status also defines clear situations as regards the acceptation of divorce.

The divorced and separated agree to a greater extent, whereas the widows and widowers are the sector most in disagreement.

In addition, as regards ideology, those who are closer to positions of extreme left are the group that agrees the most with divorce as a solution for a troubled marriage, whereas people closer to extreme right disagree with such idea.

In his work, Becerril has also analysed the data of the World Values Survey, according to which for Spanish people «divorce is the most justifiable behaviour» among a series of proposed social behaviours such as prostitution, abortion or euthanasia.

With an average of 6.42 out of a possible 10, divorce is the most accepted, followed by homosexuality, with a 6.17.

On the other hand of the scales and against the high acceptation of divorce in Spain, the work of the researcher of the UGR has revealed that Japan is the country (of the 35 countries analysed) where divorce is worst accepted socially with just about 30 percent of those polled in favour, followed by Filipinas and the United States of America.
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After Brazil, Spain thinks divorce is a ‘good thing’

Escrito por

After Brazil, Spain thinks divorce is a ‘good thing’

Spain has come out to be the second country in the world where divorce is better accepted socially, preceded only by Brazil.

Around 79 percent of Spanish people think that, when a couple is not able to solve their marital problems, divorce is the best solution.

The data was derived from the study “Social perception of divorce in Spain”, published in the Revista Espaqola de Investigaciones Sociolsgicas (Reis) by Professor Diego Becerril Ruiz, of the Department of Sociology of the University of Granada.

It also reflects that the acceptation of divorce has increased in our country during the 90’s.

The data collected from a complete bibliographical review, reveals that the young, contrary to what could be expected, are not the sector of the population who is more in favour of divorce as a solution.

“They are the sector which disagrees the most,” Becerril said.

“Maybe because these generations have been brought up within situations of divorce and have experienced, to a greater or lesser extent, the breakup process,” he stated.

Marital status also defines clear situations as regards the acceptation of divorce.

The divorced and separated agree to a greater extent, whereas the widows and widowers are the sector most in disagreement.

In addition, as regards ideology, those who are closer to positions of extreme left are the group that agrees the most with divorce as a solution for a troubled marriage, whereas people closer to extreme right disagree with such idea.

In his work, Becerril has also analysed the data of the World Values Survey, according to which for Spanish people “divorce is the most justifiable behaviour” among a series of proposed social behaviours such as prostitution, abortion or euthanasia.

With an average of 6.42 out of a possible 10, divorce is the most accepted, followed by homosexuality, with a 6.17.

On the other hand of the scales and against the high acceptation of divorce in Spain, the work of the researcher of the UGR has revealed that Japan is the country (of the 35 countries analysed) where divorce is worst accepted socially with just about 30 percent of those polled in favour, followed by Filipinas and the United States of America.
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After Brazil, Spain thinks divorce is a ‘good thing’

Escrito por

After Brazil, Spain thinks divorce is a ‘good thing’

Spain has come out to be the second country in the world where divorce is better accepted socially, preceded only by Brazil.

Around 79 percent of Spanish people think that, when a couple is not able to solve their marital problems, divorce is the best solution.

The data was derived from the study ‘Social perception of divorce in Spain’, published in the Revista Española de Investigaciones Sociológicas (Reis) by Professor Diego Becerril Ruiz, of the Department of Sociology of the University of Granada.

It also reflects that the acceptation of divorce has increased in our country during the 90’s.

The data collected from a complete bibliographical review, reveals that the young, contrary to what could be expected, are not the sector of the population who is more in favour of divorce as a solution.

‘They are the sector which disagrees the most,’ Becerril said.

‘Maybe because these generations have been brought up within situations of divorce and have experienced, to a greater or lesser extent, the breakup process,’ he stated.

Marital status also defines clear situations as regards the acceptation of divorce.

The divorced and separated agree to a greater extent, whereas the widows and widowers are the sector most in disagreement.

In addition, as regards ideology, those who are closer to positions of extreme left are the group that agrees the most with divorce as a solution for a troubled marriage, whereas people closer to extreme right disagree with such idea.

In his work, Becerril has also analysed the data of the World Values Survey, according to which for Spanish people ‘divorce is the most justifiable behaviour’ among a series of proposed social behaviours such as prostitution, abortion or euthanasia.

With an average of 6.42 out of a possible 10, divorce is the most accepted, followed by homosexuality, with a 6.17.

On the other hand of the scales and against the high acceptation of divorce in Spain, the work of the researcher of the UGR has revealed that Japan is the country (of the 35 countries analysed) where divorce is worst accepted socially with just about 30 percent of those polled in favour, followed by Filipinas and the United States of America.
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After Brazil, Spain thinks divorce is a ‘good thing’

Escrito por

After Brazil, Spain thinks divorce is a \’good thing\’

Spain has come out to be the second country in the world where divorce is better accepted socially, preceded only by Brazil.

Around 79 percent of Spanish people think that, when a couple is not able to solve their marital problems, divorce is the best solution.

The data was derived from the study «Social perception of divorce in Spain», published in the Revista Espaola de Investigaciones Sociolgicas (Reis) by Professor Diego Becerril Ruiz, of the Department of Sociology of the University of Granada.

It also reflects that the acceptation of divorce has increased in our country during the 90\’s.

The data collected from a complete bibliographical review, reveals that the young, contrary to what could be expected, are not the sector of the population who is more in favour of divorce as a solution.

«They are the sector which disagrees the most,» Becerril said.

«Maybe because these generations have been brought up within situations of divorce and have experienced, to a greater or lesser extent, the breakup process,» he stated.

Marital status also defines clear situations as regards the acceptation of divorce.

The divorced and separated agree to a greater extent, whereas the widows and widowers are the sector most in disagreement.

In addition, as regards ideology, those who are closer to positions of extreme left are the group that agrees the most with divorce as a solution for a troubled marriage, whereas people closer to extreme right disagree with such idea.

In his work, Becerril has also analysed the data of the World Values Survey, according to which for Spanish people «divorce is the most justifiable behaviour» among a series of proposed social behaviours such as prostitution, abortion or euthanasia.

With an average of 6.42 out of a possible 10, divorce is the most accepted, followed by homosexuality, with a 6.17.

On the other hand of the scales and against the high acceptation of divorce in Spain, the work of the researcher of the UGR has revealed that Japan is the country (of the 35 countries analysed) where divorce is worst accepted socially with just about 30 percent of those polled in favour, followed by Filipinas and the United States of America.
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El flamenco como ciencia: instrumento de progreso y de estudio

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El flamenco como ciencia: instrumento de progreso y de estudio

El flamenco como modo de conocimiento, como materia de estudio de la Academia, se consolida un poco más con la creación en la Universidad de Granada del Grupo de Estudios Flamencos, a cuya presentación han acudido figuras como Juan Pinilla o Rafael Rodríguez Almodóvar, y que pretende, en palabras de su secretario –el catedrático y poeta Rafael Delgado– «tratar el flamenco como una ciencia, sin dejar de lado la creatividad, pero aplicándole estudios que tengan algo que decir».

El objetivo es ayudar a divulgar el flamenco incorporándolo a la docencia y aplicándole los mismos criterios que a cualquier otra materia. El punto de vista es amplio, pues además de música, cante y baile incluirá la poesía o las artes plásticas relacionadas con los mismos.

La sede se encontrará en la Corrala de Santiago, cuyo director, Carlos Orte, será también coordinador de actividades del grupo. Rafael Delgado ha querido dejar claro que «no existimos para hacer espectáculos, vamos a investigar y trabajar el flamenco con criterio universitario».

La presentación este jueves la ha presidido el rector de la UGR, Francisco González Rodeiro, recordando que el Grupo de Estudios estará encuadrado dentro del vicerrectorado de Extensión Universitaria de la misma. El coordinador general del Grupo de Estudios Flamencos, José Antonio Esquivel Guerrero, ha anunciado que una de las actividades que ya están programadas es un taller de flamenco que comenzará el 22 de octubre y que estará dedicado a Enrique Morente.

Igualmente hay un acuerdo de colaboración con la revista Extramuros –que dirige Rodríguez Almodóvar–, un proyecto de editorial y otro con la Agencia Andaluza del Flamenco que se llamará \’Flamenco en red\’.

Rafael Infante, antiguo rector de la Hispalense y director del grupo Universidad y Flamenco, que trabaja con la Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa, también estuvo presente. «Como se puede ver», anuncia Rafael Delgado, «acabamos de nacer y ya nos están saliendo cosas, porque el flamenco necesita de proyectos como éste».
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La UGR incluye el flamenco en su plan de estudios

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La UGR incluye el flamenco en su plan de estudios

La Universidad de Granada cuenta ya con un Grupo de Estudios Flamencos que tratará de impulsar el conocimiento sobre este género a través de la investigación, la docencia y la difusión y divulgación del mismo.

El grupo está formado por profesionales y profesores de la UGR expertos en música, que tratarán de impulsar la creatividad en este arte «no sólo en lo que se refiere al cante, al baile o al toque, que también, sino más bien a aspectos que han sido relegados a un papel secundario, como la poesía, las artes plásticas o la crítica literaria», según explicó Rafael Calvo Flores, miembro del comité que ha puesto en marcha este proyecto.

Esta agrupación pretende crear una línea editorial de flamenco para «cursar todas esas inquietudes». Para ello, ya cuentan con convenios como el firmado con la revista Extramuros o con el área de Flamencología del Conservatorio de Córdoba. Además, se han dado los primeros pasos para colaborar con la Red de Flamenco de Universidades, dirigida por Rafael Infante, para establecer una relación con las facultades y realizar un circuito de contactos con los interesados en este arte.

El Grupo de Estudios Flamencos, dependiente del vicerrectorado de Extensión Universitaria y Cooperación al Desarrollo, estará coordinado por José Antonio Esquivel Guerrero y se estructurará en las áreas de actividades, investigación, docencia, difusión y relaciones institucionales.

Proyectos. Ya tienen cerradas actividades como un taller de flamenco dedicado a la figura de Enrique Morente y que tendrá lugar en el Museo de la Memoria de Andalucía a partir del próximo día 22 de octubre. Dentro de este ciclo, se recordará a otras figuras del flamenco como Manolo Caracol, Antonio Mairena, Mario Maya o Juan ´Habichuela´.

Esquivel destacó las estrechas relaciones que este grupo tendrá con las peñas granadinas de flamenco ya que, aseguró, «el ámbito de actuación se centrará en la provincia». No obstante, el rector de la Universidad, Francisco González Lodeiro, puntualizó que éste se hará extensible a las ciudades autónomas de Ceuta y Melilla por cómo «se combina el flamenco con la música que proviene del norte de África».

González Lodeiro también explicó que la UGR ya contó con estudios flamencos que desaparecieron y que ahora se recuperarán en el plan de estudios del Grado de Historia de la Música y Musicología –que será aprobado próximamente por el consejo de gobierno de la Universidad– porque, dijo, la institución académica «debe» explicar la importancia del flamenco en esta titulación.

Asimismo, esta agrupación pondrá en marcha un proyecto de vinculación de todas las universidades andaluzas a través de una iniciativa virtual denominada ´Flamenco en la red´.
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La Junta niega ´secretismo´ en la fosa de García Lorca

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La Junta niega ´secretismo´ en la fosa de García Lorca

El delegado del Gobierno de la Junta en Granada, Jesús Huertas, negó ayer «secretismo» en la apertura de la fosa de Alfacar donde supuestamente están enterrados Federico García Lorca, el maestro Dióscoro Galindo, y los banderilleros Francisco Galadí y Joaquín Arcollas, y reiteró el respeto de la Administración autonómica «a todas las familias y a todas las voluntades».

En declaraciones a los periodistas, Huertas explicó que las medidas ya adoptadas y que se adoptarán una vez que se inicien los trabajos de excavación en la zona, de acotado, vallado e instalación de una carpa, sólo responden al objetivo de «respetar» tanto a los partidarios de la exhumación como a los detractores. «Tanto merecen unas familias como otras, y la Junta de Andalucía no puede ir en contra de la voluntad de aquellas que no quieren rescatar los restos de sus allegados», mantuvo.

El convenio para definir los pasos a seguir para la exhumación entre la Junta de Andalucía, la Diputación provincial de Granada, la Universidad de Granada, el Ayuntamiento de Alfacar y la Asociación de la Memoria Histórica se firmará finalmente mañana, viernes, y no el miércoles como estaba previsto, por razones de agenda, según informaron a Europa Press fuentes de la Consejería de Justicia.

La Junta ya ha definido el protocolo de actuación de exhumaciones de fosas donde se hallen víctimas de la Guerra Civil y las posguerra, que fue publicado en el Boletín Oficial de la Junta de Andalucía (BOJA), y en el que se recoge que los trabajos habrán de desarrollarse «con el compromiso de confidencialidad» de todos los intervinientes, «al objeto de preservar el respeto de las víctimas, la dignidad de los restos y los derechos de los familiares».

Así, la Consejería de Justicia y Administración Pública consideró «fundamental» el establecimiento de un perímetro de seguridad, balizado y protegido para evitar el deterioro o el expolio de los restos, y al que sólo tenga acceso el personal autorizado, haciendo hincapié en el hecho de que «se debe poner especial cuidado y meticulosidad en la conservación y no deterioro de los materiales extraídos».

De igual modo, apuntó que, una vez se realice el levantamiento de los restos, los expertos elegirán muestras que sean «significativas» para proceder a la identificación e individualización de los hallados y que permitan un mejor análisis para los fines del protocolo.

Además, y en cuanto al resto de los hallazgos, indicó que si no fuera factible su traslado al laboratorio que realice los análisis, serán llevados hasta el cementerio del municipio, al lugar que el Ayuntamiento especifique, o se mantendrán debidamente protegidos y referenciados en el lugar del enterramiento.
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‘Lorca levanta pasiones porque consideramos su vida extraordinaria’

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\’Lorca levanta pasiones porque consideramos su vida extraordinaria\’

El titular de la cátedra García Lorca de la Universidad de Granada, Antonio Carvajal, es partidario de la apertura de la fosa donde se cree que está enterrado Lorca… pero no por él, sino por el derecho de las familias de los otros fallecidos a hacerlo.

El desenterramiento, que está previsto que comience este viernes, ha generado una agria polémica que el autor de Tigres en el jardín, reconocido como uno de los poetas españoles más importantes de la segunda mitad del siglo XX, analiza con actitud académica, sin olvidar por ello los múltiples y distintos sentimientos que algo así genera en todos los implicados.

«En otras provincias se ha llevado de manera más sencilla. No entiendo que tenga que venir un juez estrella»

Así, Carvajal explica que con los dos herederos de García Lorca con los que ha tratado -Manuel Fernández Montesinos y Laura García- ha tenido siempre unas relaciones muy cordiales, lo que no implica que, «de un tiempo a esta parte, no entiendo la conducta de los Lorca. Siempre les he tenido mucho afecto y agradecimiento porque conmigo se han portado muy bien. Pero que se los respete por quienes son no creo que les de ninguna preeminencia social o jurídica. Por eso me sorprende la cantidad de trabas o exigencias que ponen para que otros ejerzan su legítimo derecho a recuperar los huesos de sus familiares».

Ése es, a su juicio, el quid de la cuestión. Y sobre ella tiene una postura muy clara, que manifiesta a la vez que intenta eliminar rumores o malos entendidos: «Hay que apoyar a los que piden que los suyos tengan un enterramiento digno… Lo otro, los rumores de si Lorca no está allí, eso, ¿qué más da? La sangre que derramó está allí. Si es verdad el rumor aquél de que su padre consiguió sacarlo y darle un entierro digno, pues bendito sea su padre. Lo que no sé es por qué habría de ocultarse, de ser verdad».

La cuestión es que la fosa encontrada es importante por lo que es y porque en ella hay cuerpos, aunque no sean los del famoso poeta. Y esos cuerpos se merecen el mismo tratamiento que se les ha dado en otras provincias, argumenta el catedrático. No es ni más ni menos, ni merece más alharacas: «En otras provincias se ha llevado de manera más sencilla. No entiendo que si hay una Ley de Memoria Histórica tenga que venir un juez estrella en el lugar de los jueces naturales del lugar».

«He visto altarcitos con su tejadito y sus farolillos con una foto de Lorca. \’San Federico\'»

Para tantas pasiones, Antonio Carvajal ve una asola explicación: «Porque su vida la consideramos extraordinaria y la de los otros no». «He visto altarcitos con su tejadito, sus farolillos y su balconcitos con sus tiestos, y en vez de la patrona o el Cristo, una foto de Lorca. \’San Federico\’. No seré yo quién se ría de eso, porque es una muestra de cómo el pueblo elige a sus ídolos y les da el tratamiento que considera necesario».

Las hipótesis más o menos barrocas sobre su fallecimiento también reciben una respuesta tajante de este poeta e intelectual: «No se pueden hacer hipótesis con el pasado, porque las cosas son como son y son inamovibles».

No obstante, de todo este «follón», saca un claro una coincidencia con la familia Lorca: «Que aquello se convierta en cementerio. Que pase de ser una zona de enterramientos ilegales a un recinto protegido por la ley, para que no sea profanado. Aunque más bien pienso que debería tener tratamiento de yacimiento arqueológico, que no sé mucho del tema, pero entiendo que es el tratamiento que tienen los restos de los crímenes nazis en Alemania. También hay cementerios en España que han acabado fatal, porque las cosas se protegen mientras interesan, claro».

«Que a los Lorca se los respete por quienes son no creo que les dé ninguna preeminencia social o jurídica»

Carvajal, eso sí, también reconoce y agradece otras actitudes de los herederos del poeta granadino, pues a ellos se les debe «la capacidad que han tenido de poner a disposición de todos la obra del poeta. Ellos tienen unos derechos de autor, que son suyos, y han sabido gestionarlos admirablemente. Cualquiera no puede leer a Unamuno, o a Juan Ramón Jiménez, pero a Lorca sí. En eso sus herederos son admirables».

Un ejemplo de lo contrario, recuerda, es que estamos en el año del centenario de Albéniz, «y se está celebrando penosamente. Los Lorca han tenido la habilidad de poner al poeta a disposición de todos. Y por lo que yo sé, no viven de eso, para empezar porque no creo que dé para tanto».
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