Legal and Political Structure of Modern Spain
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In this course, the student is expected to acquire adequate knowledge of the historical and political configuration of the Contemporary Spain, which includes: the monarchy of Alfonso XIII, the dictatorship of Franco and the Spanish democracy arising from the Constitution of 1978 and the basis on which the democratic system depends on. Throughout the course the great historical, legal, political, ideological and social currents that make current political system will be identified.
Attendance is mandatory for all IES Abroad classes, including course-related excursions. Any exams, tests, presentations, or other work missed due to student absences can only be rescheduled in cases of documented medical or family emergencies. If a student misses more than two classes in any course half a letter grade will be deducted from the final grade for every additional absence. Seven absences in any course will result in a failing grade.
By the end of the course students will be able to:
- Identify the characteristics of the Spanish regimes of the 20th century: monarchy, republic, dictatorship and democracy.
- Know the transition of the Franco dictatorship to the democracy.
- Have a notion of the main historical, juridical and political characteristics of contemporary Spain.
- 27 lectures
- 2 hours of additional weekly work by the student in order to prepare for their mandatory oral presentation.
- 10-15 hours of preparation for midterm and final exams
- Course related excursions: TBD.
- Midterm and final exams - 55%
- Personal work and Oral presentation - 30%
- Class Participation - 15%
Personal work and Oral presentation
Both of these assignments will focus on a historical figure related to the course. Each student will be assigned this historical figure at the beginning of the course through a lottery process. The project consists of creating a biography of the character. It is mandatory that the student shows previous practice for this presentation and is not only read. The student is also required to perform support his presentation with visual aids.
|
Week |
Content |
| Week 1 | Introduction: From totalitarianism to the liberalism: the change of regime in democratic Spain. Political currents. The Carlism. |
| Week 2 | The Spanish constitutionalism of the 19th and 20th century (1812-1978). The Spain of the 20th Century. The Monarchy of Alfonso XIII. Configuration of the political parties. |
| Week 3 | The Second Republic (Part I): General characteristics. The preludes of a war. The idea of the two Spains. |
| Week 4 | The Second Republic (Part II): Social and political advances of the Spain during the 1930’s. The republic constitution. |
| Week 5 | The Franquismo (Part I): Characteristics of the new regime. Juridical bases and ideology. The fundamental laws of the kingdom and the move. |
| Week 6 | The Franquismo (Part II): The aperturismo and the institutionalization of the system. The development and the end of the dictatorship. The death of Carrero Blanco. |
| Week 7 | The Transition (Part I): From Franco to Juan Carlos. The law of political reform. Social changes. |
| Week 8 | The Transition (Part II): The change of legibility. Fundamental institutions of the Spanish political system: Social estate, crown, parliament, government and the autonomous communities. |
| Week 9 | The constituent process and the constitution of 1978. The political parties and the civil society. The public liberties. |
| Week 10 | The socialist era. Social advances. New citizen rights. |
| Week 11 | From Aznar to Zapatero. The consolidation of the Spanish democracy. Terrorism and the social politics. |
| Session 12 | The great crisis. Felipe VI. Where is Spain going? |
- Carr, R: España 1808-2008, Ariel, Barcelona, 2009.
- Morodo, R: La transición política, Tecnos, Madrid, 1993.
- Payne, S: El régimen de Franco, Alianza, Madrid, 1987.
- Payne. S: El colapso de la II República. Los orígenes de la Guerra Civil (1993-1996), La Esfera de los Libros, Madrid, 2005.
- Redondo, J: La Segunda República. Así llegó España a la Guerra Civil, Ed. El Mundo, Madrid, 2005.
- Sánchez Jiménez, J: La España Contemporánea, tres tomos, Itsmo, Madrid, 1991.
- Tusell, J. Lamo de Espinosa, E. y Pardo, R: Entre dos siglos. Reflexiones sobre la democracia en España, Alianza, Madrid, 1996.
