The Culture of CursileríaNot easily translated, the Spanish terms cursi and cursilera refer to a cultural phenomenon widely prevalent in Spanish society since the nineteenth century. Like "kitsch," cursi evokes the idea of bad taste, but it also suggests one who has pretensions of refinement and elegance without possessing them. In The Culture of Cursilera, Nol Valis examines the social meanings of cursi, viewing it as a window into modern Spanish history and particularly