What do John Arrillaga and John Etchemendy have in common? In addition to sharing the same first name, they also boast Basque heritage.

This winter, 20 students will have the opportunity to enroll in Introduction to Basque Studies, a seminar taking a multi-perspective approach to understanding Basque history, culture and society taught primarily by Prof. Gloria Totoricaguena, the director of the Center for Basque Studies at the University of Nevada-Reno.

The interactive course will include a Basque dance class and a trip to Piperade Restaurant in San Francisco to sample Basque cuisine. The president of the Basque Country has also been invited to give a lecture at Stanford as part of the class.

Senior Casey Nevitt initiated the course last spring by securing guest instructors and a faculty sponsor with Basque heritage — Provost John Etchemendy.

“I’ve always wished there were a course at Stanford on the Basques, who have a fascinating and remarkable history,” said Etchemendy, who plans to take the course and hopes other interested faculty and staff will also attend. “Introduction to Basque Studies will provide an opportunity for those who are interested in Basque history, language and culture to learn more about them from experts in the field.”

Nevitt stated that the purpose of the class is to spread awareness of historical and contemporary perspectives on Basque culture, politics, economics and society. She encouraged everyone interested in the subject matter to attend the class, whether or not they are taking it for academic credit.

“My great-grandparents were immigrants from the Spanish side of the Basque Country and I have increasingly become interested in my heritage over the years,” Nevitt said. “The more I learned about the Basques, the more interested I became and the more I wanted to teach others about the rich and unique history and influences the Basque people have had on the world.”

Nevitt also hopes to that the class will clarify misconceptions of the Basque people, who are often linked with the Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA), a paramilitary organization seeking to create an independent socialist state for the Basque people.

“It is not uncommon to associate all Basques with ETA, even though ETA represents a small minority of Basques,” Nevitt said. “People typically aren’t aware that the Basques played an important role in the Age of Exploration and the rise of capitalism — for instance, Basques built Columbus’ ships.”

The class will also treat with linguistic and culinary facets of Basque culture, Nevitt reported.

“One of the most interesting aspects of the Basques is Euskera, their language that unites them as a people,” she continued. “And Basque cuisine has inspired a lot of the cuisine that Spain is so well known for.”

Introduction to Basque Studies will be offered through the Spanish and Portuguese Department as a Student Initiated Course during winter 2007 and may be offered in future quarters.

Since Nevitt first floated the idea for the course, the department of Spanish and Portuguese has witnessed a change in leadership. Joan Ramon Resina, the new department head, “is hoping to develop an Iberian Studies program at Stanford, spanning all the peoples of the Iberian Peninsula,” Etchemendy said. “So it may turn out that the course will continue under the sponsorship of the Spanish and Portuguese department, and contribute to this program.”

Nevitt noted that a permanent course would connect Stanford to a network of Basque Studies Programs that have been increasing nationally over the past few decades. “I hope this class will turn into a permanent course at Stanford because it will bring awareness to an ethnic group and culture that has impacted world history and continues to play a part in world politics,” she said.