Spanish Professor Dr. Villalobos Graillet Represents ISU at International Conference

Dr. José Eduardo Villalobos Graillet, assistant professor of Spanish and a leading scholar of cinematic and television adaptations of La Celestina, proudly represented Idaho State University at the III CELPYC Conference (Círculo de Estudios de las Literaturas Picaresca y Celestinesca), held June 18 to 20, 2025, at the University of Cantabria in Santander, Spain. 

This major international gathering brought together over 50 scholars from Europe and the Americas to explore the enduring power of picaresque and celestinesque traditions, two literary genres that emerged in early modern Spain. The picaresque novel follows the adventures of cunning outsiders who survive by their wits, while celestinesque literature centers on the figure of the go-between or procuress, weaving stories of desire, deception, and social critique. 

Dr. Villalobos presented his research on The Mexican Adaptation of La Celestina by Miguel Sabido: Censorship and Reception, examining how this seminal work was reimagined on the Mexican screen under shifting cultural and political pressures.

This opportunity was made possible through the generous support of the College of Arts and Letters Faculty Travel Grant, which enabled Dr. Villalobos to share Idaho State University’s research excellence on a global stage. His participation underscored ISU’s commitment to international collaboration and scholarship that bridges Spanish literature, film, and cultural studies.

The event not only strengthened connections with leading institutions including the University of Cantabria, the University of Liverpool, and the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, but also showcased the vital role of the humanities in understanding how stories of marginalized voices, resilience, and defiance continue to resonate across centuries and cultures.

For more information about this event, please visit the website of the University of Cantabria (in Spanish).