Taught In English

There is no language prerequisite for courses at this language level.

Course objectives:
This course offers an introduction to Spanish culture so that students can become familiar with the social, economic and political structures of Spain today. Our study will be focused on some specific aspects which make Spain both appealing and richly varied: an ancestral monarchy which was restored in 1975, together with a democratic political system; its organisation in "autonomous communities" which may be a solution to historical conflicts; the fact that it is one of the main tourist destinations in the world and one of the ten main world economies.

Topics:

1. SPANISH GEOGRAPHY
1.1 The significance of Spain´s geographical position

2. SPANISH POPULATION
2.1 Immigration as a new phenomenon
2.2 The dramatic decrease in the birth rate

3. ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
3.1 Spanish economic "boom"
3.2 Energy sources: Spain´s economic dependence
3.3 Tourism as an essential income source
3.4 The problem of unemployment

4. CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION
4.1 The Transition: from a dictatorship to a democracy
4.2 Spanish "autonomous communities": a federal state

5. SOCIAL GEOGRAPHY
5.1 The "state of wellbeing" (el estado del bienestar): medicine and education
5.2 Spain: a multicultural country

Basic bibliography:

CARR, RAYMOND (1989): España de la dictadura a la democracia. Barcelona: Planeta.

PRESTON, PAUL (1994): Franco. Barcelona: Grijalbo.

GARCÍA DE CORTÁZAR, FERNANDO (2002): Historia de España: de Atapuerca al euro. Barcelona: Planeta
FUSI, J. P. (1989): España: Autonomías. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe.

PEREZ, JOSEPH (1999): Historia de España. Barcelona: Crítica.

VALDEÓN, JULIO; PÉREZ, JOSEPH; JULIÁ, SANTOS (2003): Historia de España. Madrid: Austral.

DOMÍNGUEZ ORTIZ, A. (2000): España. Tres milenios de historia. Madrid: Marcial Pons.

JULIÁ, SANTOS (2004): Historia de las dos Españas. Madrid: Taurus.

THOMAS, HUGH (2003): El imperio español. Madrid: Planeta.

VILÁ VALENTÍ, J. (1968): La península Ibérica. Barcelona: Ariel.

Evaluation:
The final grade will be calculated according to the following percentages:

-2 short essays and daily homework: 40%
-Attendance and participation: 30%
-Final in-class paper: 30%