The first person I would like to thank is Paco Ferrándiz for entrusting me with this research project. He has been a crucial source of support throughout the process, always willing to assist whenever needed while granting me the freedom to shape the project as my own. Over the years, he has been very important in recommending different outputs for my work and he continues to be a wonderful mentor and support. Meeting Paco has been pivotal for my academic career and I am very grateful for his guidance and encouragement.
This book could not have been possible without the assistance and generosity of the many people who shared their experiences of the exhumations, as well as their documents, memories and photographs. I would like to thank Emilio Silva for sharing his enthusiasm and providing valuable materials from the outset. In La Rioja, I started by consulting Jesús Vicente Aguirre, who has been a tremendous help until the very end – thank you very much. I extend my gratitued to Pedro Navarro for his assistance in La Barranca. To José Vidorreta from Cervera del Río Alhama, the one with the green van. To Carlos García from Alfaro. To Máximo Sicilia, from Ausejo. To Ernesto Fernández for opening the doors of his house in Alcanadre, and for talking together with Cándido and Agustín Mateo. To the three of them for accompanying me to Sartaguda and the cemetery. To Carlos Solana, from Arnedo, together with his son and his partner. To Oscar Moreno in Calahorra, who took me to talk to his parents and Antonio García. To Félix Caperos from Casalarreina. In Navarra I am grateful to Josefina Campos, Javier Ayape as well as Josemi Gastón and Roldán Jimeno. In Seville I thank Ángel del Río, Cecilio Gordillo, Paqui Maqueda, María Ángeles and Carmen Jiménez, Juan Luis Castro, José Antonio Méndez and Javier Giráldez. In Soria, Iván Aparicio, from the association Recuerdo y Dignidad, helped me without thinking about it, connecting me with key contacts and accompanying me everywhere. Thank you very much for your commitment to memory. Many thanks also to Ángel Martín Vizcaino from Almazán, for generously sharing his memories with us and for the visit to the cemetery. In Badajoz, I am very grateful to Fernando Barrero for taking me to Casas de Don Pedro to speak with Felisa Casatejada, and for sharing his own journey of remembrance over the years. I am also infinitely grateful to Felisa for hosting us that day and revisiting and sharing her experience once again, remembering the data and the location of the grave she exhumed 37 years earlier. To José Luis and Miguel Ángel Muga, for telling me about the exhumation of Herrera del Duque and introducing me to Juliana Muñoz, their mother, so that she could share her perspective on the event. They also located and shared with me the documentation related
My gratitude to Lourdes Herrasti for her willingness to explain and share her knowledge with me. To Luis Ríos, for agreeing to play the game, to look with his eyes at the photographs I sent him and to answer the questions I had. To Francisco Etxeberria and Jimi Jimenez for sharing their materials and data on exhumations. A special thanks to Queralt Solé, whose vital academic support has been crucial for this book. Thank you for your initiatives and generosity. Thanks also to my new colleagues at UNED, where I have found a supportive work environment. I would also like to thank Nicola Stapleton for her meticulous translation and revision of this text into English, which greatly helped in articulating my ideas.
I cannot fail to mention my former colleagues in the 1F18 office and dear friends, María Laura Martín-Chiappe and Miriam Saqqa. They have been by my side throughout these years of research during which we were able to share theoretical insight, experiences of the labyrinths of academic life, and personal matters. Thank you very much for being there, for helping me, for the shared hours at the office, of fieldwork and for the numerous conversations. For being strength and affect at the same time.
To my friend Marije Hristova for having trusted me and having brought me here, for making me see that everything would turn out well, and for being an example. I am also grateful for her help in revising the final version of this book. To Lidia Mateo Leivas, for dedicating the time to review parts of this book and for providing insightful comments. For being such a close colleague and friend, for being an inspiration and for your sincerity and generosity. For helping me grow in this world. To both, for showing me how to live – and work – collectively.
Eternal thanks to my family who, despite not always understanding my work, have always supported me and encouraged me in my endeavours. A special thank you to my mother for her help in conciliating family and professional life.
Last but not least, I am immensely grateful to those with whom I share my home. To Chano, Tom and Lúa, I know that having a scholar as a partner or a mother is not always easy. Thank you for being my home, my loves and my daily lights.