Throwback Thursday: In 1987, NSF Spent Almost $10K to Study Spanish Bullfighting

In 1987, the National Science Foundation spent $9,992 – more than $25,000 in 2022 dollars – to study bullfighting in Spain for a year.

Sen. William Proxmire, a Democrat from Wisconsin, gave the NSF his Golden Fleece Award for this ridiculous study, “Bullfights and Ideology of the Nation in Spain.”

The purpose of this study was, “to examine the dialectical relationship between the categories ‘nation’ and ‘region’ in Spain as these are manifested through the polemical spectacles known as ‘national fiesta,’ the Spanish bullfights in their several formats.”

The research included descriptions and comparisons of the local versus national bullfighting formats, as well as interviews with people to determine whether they identified with or rejected the various forms of bullfighting.

The budget request included $500 for a camera and accessories, while the rest went mostly to fund the researcher’s living expenses for about a year’s worth of research.

While Proxmire conceded that the researcher is qualified and the amount requested is relatively modest, he pointed out that there are many other studies that likely would produce more useful and important results. He also noted that there are many other ways to study Spanish culture for a much lower price tag, such as reading authors like Ernest Hemingway or examining primary sources.

Each dollar that went to this project could have gone to cancer research, national defense, or education.

As Proxmire said, “It’s time for the NSF to grab the bull by the horns and get their priorities straight.”

The #WasteOfTheDay is presented by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com.