Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Spanish Contemporary History

Spanish Contemporary History
6
9287
2
First semester
FB
Global Trends
Historia
Main language of instruction: Spanish

Teaching staff


Dr. AZNAR MARTÍNEZ, Daniel - daznar@uic.es

Introduction

The subject of Contemporary History of Spain aims to bring the student to the knowledge of the recent history of Spain through the study of four major themes. This will be used in lectures, although one of the key elements will be the discussion and reflection to be made of the current problems in the light of the past. The ultimate goal is to arouse the students' interest to know and understand the reality around them and develop critical thinking, enabling them to think for themselves, with solid arguments.

Pre-course requirements

You need Spanish B2 level

Objectives

  • Know and understand the recent history of Spain.
  • Understand the main problems of Spain and various proposals and difficulties for their solution.
  • Develop a well-founded critical staff.
  • Read the press and critically analyse it.
  • Learn to discuss and listen to those who think differently.
  • Research a topic in depth.
  • Apply knowledge of journalistic genres.

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • 02 CG - The ability to learn and act an autonomously and responsibly
  • 04 CG - The ability to organise time and workspace
  • 05 CG - The ability to develop an ethical attitude
  • 08 CG - The ability to reflect and memorize.
  • 10 CG - Knowledge and mastery of bibliographic repertoires
  • 11 CG - Knowledge and mastery of different research resources
  • 12 CG - The ability to listen
  • 16 CE - The ability to make judgments and well-argued critical assessments
  • 18 CE - Ability to detect newsworthy events
  • 21 CE - The ability to contextualize historical facts and critically analyze the current situation
  • 38 CE - Knowledge and mastery of concepts, data, statistics and economic graphs
  • 42 CE - The ability to integrate the contributions of the environment

Learning outcomes of the subject

  • Critical thinking, be open and autonomous when analysing reality.
  • Understand the major events that have marked the recent history of Spain.
  • Acquire the habit of reading the daily newspaper and critically analyse it.
  • Understand the challenges and the major political, social, national, religious and military of Spain from 1876 to the present.
  • Be able to drill down and investigate complex historical issues while identifying key elements that help you understand them.
  • Ability to listen, understand, respect and appreciate different opinions.
  • Teamwork, coordination, planning.
  • Be able to explain complext content in a simple and attractive way.

Students:

  1. Will learn basic knowledge of economics, law geography and history in order to be able to understand some of the major problems of modern society.
  2. They will internalize a complex vision of contemporary societies.
  3. They will understand how to spot trends.
  4. They will be able to analyze society and forge a critical and independent spirit.
  5. They will develop abilities to perform better during teamwork and create positive synergies.
  6. They will get detailed knowledge about the origins of mankind and its organization, culture, religion and privacy.

Syllabus

BLOCK I: The origins of liberal Spain

1. The 19th century: The Construction of Liberal Spain
1.1. The War of Independence and the Political Rev.
1.2. The double tension of the state (the return of F.VII and the reign of Isabel II).
1.3. The democratic six-year period: new formulas for a liberal state.

2. The Bourbon Restoration (1875-1931)
2.1: The Restoration system: the reign of Alfonso XII and the Regency of María Cristina.
2.2 The reign of Alfonso XIII: crisis and regenerationism.

BLOCK II: The long Spanish 20th century

3. The Second Republic (1931-1936)
5. The Civil War (1936-1939)
6. Franco's Dictatorship (1939-1975)
7. Late Francoism and the Origins of the Transition (1973-1975)
8. The Spanish Transition to Democracy (1975-1982)
9. The 1978 Constitution
10. The Calvo Sotelo Government and the International Dimension of the Transition
11. Consolidation and modernisation: Between Felipe González and Aznar

BLOCK III: Spain today

12. Economic crisis and political radicalisation: from Zapatero to Rajoy.
13. The end of the two-party system and the crisis of the state model (2015-2022).
14. History and Memory: the keys to a current debate.

Teaching and learning activities

In person



TRAINING ACTIVITY ECTS CREDITS
Coaching. Monitoring how students learn the content of the subject, either individually or in groups. In the coaching sessions, mistakes will be corrected, queries answered, and exercises and activities to achieve the established objectives will be suggested. 0.6
Focused Praxis. Handing in occasional exercises to learn theory through practice. 0.6
Seminar. This activity will consist of taking an in-depth look at specific up-to-date topics in a monographic manner-in some cases these topics will have been debated socially-, via active work in small groups. 0,6
Lectures. In lectures, lecturers/professors not only transmit content or knowledge, but also, and above all else, attitudes, motivation, skills and values, etc. They also ensure that participants can express their opinions and arguments to the other students. 3,6
Practical workshop. A highly practical working activity, where students can acquire skills that are practical or also theoretical (intellectual skills, logical skills, critical skills, intellectual learning skills, study skills, quoting skills, etc). 0,6

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person



  • Participation and class work: 10%
  • Podcast-interview: 15% 
  • Work on journalistic interpretation of historical facts: 25% 
  • Final exam: 50% 
  • Extension: 10%. (5% exhibitions, 5% subject diary, 5% review)
Print version