Regionalism In Spain: Political Union And Cultural Intersections

Center:

Salamanca

Program(s):

Salamanca - Study in Salamanca [1]

Discipline(s):

Political Science

History

Course code:

PO/HS 366

Terms offered:

Fall

Credits:

Language of instruction:

Spanish

Instructor:

IES Abroad Salamanca Faculty

Description:

The objective of this course is for students to understand the historical process that has led to the current political, administrative and territorial configuration of Spain in different autonomous communities, as well as the consequences that derive from present autonomous organizations. The course will give a vision of Spain from regional reality, which will tackle the geographical diversity of the country, the history of the birth and development of the regionalisms and nationalisms, the cultural and socio-economic variables that define the autonomic indicators, and, finally, the current political situation in each of the autonomies as well as their relation with the central government.

Prerequisites:

None

Learning outcomes:

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

Have knowledge of the main features that define the various autonomous communities in Spain and make them different.
Understand the historical process that has led to the current autonomous state.
Analyze the current relations among autonomous communities and between these and the central government.

Method of presentation:

Lectures, discussions on selected readings and student research papers, presentations of field study activities.

Required work and form of assessment:

• Mid-term exam (30%)

• Final exam (30%)

• Research paper (20%). Students will submit two 4-page papers. One paper will be about a region of Spain. This paper will be presented in class along with another student and a Powerpoint presentation. Another paper will be a summary of some videos as well as new and field study activities.

• Participation, homework assignments, field study activities (20%)

content:

WEEK 1: Introduction to regional geography of Spain. Human and economic diversity.
1.1. Physical geography of Spain
1.2. Territorial divisions in Spain: municipalities, provinces and autonomous communities
Reading: Romero, Joan. España Inacabada. Universidad de Valencia, 2006. Pp. 21-39.

WEEK 2: Autonomous state of Spain: the Transition and the Constitution.
2.1. Historical context: political transition in Spain (1975-1982)
2.2. The Constitution of 1978
Documentary videos:
http://www.rtve.es/rtve/20081125/constitucion-cumple-anos/198637.shtml [2] http://www.rtve.es/archivo/la-transicion-serie/ [3]. Documentary videos on the political transition in Spain.
Students are required to watch at least two episodes.

WEEK 3: The Spanish Constitution and regionalism: how the problem is tackled in this text.
3.1. Territorial pattern in Spain
3.2. Consequences of this pattern. Problems
Readings: Romero, Joan. España Inacabada. Universidad de Valencia, 2006. Pp. 65-73. http://www.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/index.htm [4]. The Spanish Constitution, articles 1-9.

WEEK 4: Seventeen autonomous communities.
4.1 Overview
4.2 Geographical, social and cultural differences
Readings: http://www.congreso.es/consti/estatutos/index.htm [5]. Students are required to read the summary of each Autonomous Statute, paying special attention to the information given on the creation of each autonomous community.
Students are also required to search the official websites of two different autonomous communities and to read about their main features.

WEEK 5: Autonomous state of Spain.
5.1. “Historical” and “non-historical” communities
5.2. Autonomous process. Different stages
Readings: Romero, Joan. España Inacabada. Universidad de Valencia, 2006. Pp. 73-85. http://www.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/index.htm [4]. The Spanish Constitution, articles 143 and
151.

WEEK 6: County councils and municipalities.
6.1. Origin and development
6.2. Current reality
Reading: http://www.madrid.es [6]. Students are required to search the issues within the jurisdiction of the
City Council.
Review of course content for mid-term exam.

WEEK 7: Autonomous state of Spain.
7.1. Autonomous Statutes. Convergences and divergences
- The Basque statute
- The Catalan statute
- The Galician statute

WEEK 8: An example of autonomous community: Castilla y León.
8.1. Regulation
8.2. Field study activity: issues within its jurisdiction
Reading: www.jcyl.es [7].

WEEK 9: Problems of jurisdiction among the various Spanish territories.
9.1. Judicial resolution of conflicts: judicial institutions
9.2. The Constitutional Court
Reading: Romero, Joan. España Inacabada. Universidad de Valencia, 2006. Pp. 95-101.

WEEK 10: Regionalism: application principles
10.1. Cooperation and coordination
10.2. Subsidiarity
Reading: Romero, Joan. España Inacabada. Universidad de Valencia, 2006. Pp. 85-95.

WEEK 11: Financing and organization
11.1. Economic problems
11.2. Organization issues
Reading: Romero, Joan. España Inacabada. Universidad de Valencia, 2006. Pp. 101-125.

WEEK 12: Current outcome of the autonomous state of Spain. Moving towards the future in the 21st century. Autonomy, federation or independence?
Reading: Romero, Joan. España Inacabada. Universidad de Valencia, 2006. Pp. 125-161.

Required readings:

De Riquer, Borja. "Sobre el lugar de los nacionalismos-regionalismos en la historia contemporánea española," in Historia social, No. 7 (1990), pp. 105-134.

García de Cortázar, Fernando, and José Manuel González Vesga. Breve Historia de España. Madrid: Alianza ed., 2002. Chapter I: "España inacabada," p. 7.

Romero, Joan. España Inacabada. Valencia: Universidad de Valencia, 2006.