Society and Politics in Contemporary Spain

Course Description
This course is designed to give an overview of fundamental issues in the study of Spanish and Catalan politics. Its core is the study of the nature and functioning of the Spanish democratic system installed since the mid-seventies, paying special attention to its political processes, institutions, actors, political culture and electoral behavior. The course also introduces the previous Spanish democratic experience (2nd Republic, 1931- 1936), its collapse (Civil War, 1936-1939), the dictatorial rule under by Franco, and the Spanish transition to democracy (1975-1978) which has strongly influenced the current features of the Spanish and Catalan political systems

Learning Objectives
At the end of this course the students will be able: 1) to understand the development and working of the Spanish and Catalan political systems in the last decades within the context of the EU; 2) to comprehend the relationship between democracy and Spanish politics; 3) to become familiar with the key literature on Spanish and European comparative politics.

Course Workload
The workload of the course rests on the assigned readings that students are expected to complete prior to coming to class and to contribute to discussion during activities. That is, during lectures, I will pose questions to encourage students' participation and developing critical thinking. Students are expected to actively participate along the course with exercise, in-group activities and debates. Finally, they will have to make a home midterm exam and also home final exam.

Methods of Instruction
The course is structured in both lecture and participatory formats. Classes usually start with an introductory lecture where the professor will present the most relevant issues of the topic at stake. Topics are grouped into weekly format which include students’ activities oriented to relate concepts, to express original ideas as well as to develop their critical thinking on the topics under study. In addition, we will make a few selected field trips during the course aimed at improving the knowledge of the terrain.

Method of Assessment
The final grade will be calculated as follows:
Class attendance: 10%
Term papers: 20 %
Take Home Midterm exam: 35%
Final exam: 35%

Absence Policy
Attending class is mandatory and will be monitored daily by professors. The impact of absences on the final grade is as follows:
Up to two (2) absences - No penalization
Three (3) absences - 1 point subtracted from final grade (on a 10 point scale)
Four (4) absences - 2 points subtracted from final grade (on a 10 point scale)
Five (5) absences or more - The student receives and INCOMPLETE for the course

The BISS attendance policy does not distinguish between justified or unjustified absences. The student is deemed responsible to manage his/her absences.

Emergency situations (hospitalization, family emergency, etc.) will be analyzed on a case-by-case basis by the Academic Director of the UPF Summer School.

Classroom Norms
-There will be a 10 minute break during the class.

Course Contents

Session 1 - Course description
Introduction to the Course
Objectives
Course format
Principal contents and overview of the course. 

Session 2 - Basic Historical and Political Facts
State Information
Historical Narratives
Origins of institutional structure 

Session 3 - Transition from Dictatorship to Democracy 
The democratic moment
What democracy is ... and is not
Democracy's Third and Fourth Waves
Dangers and dilemmas of democracy
Explanatory factors for the consolidation of a democracy.

Session 4 - The Transition to Democracy
Institutionalizing a new regime
The Constituent Process
The Constitution of 1978
Analytical perspectives about the transition process to democracy
Explaining successful democratic consolidation.

Session 5 - Parlamentarism versus Presidentialism, the Central Government, the executive and the Monarchy 
Constitutional choices for new democracies
The virtues of parliamentarism
The virtues of presidentialism
The primacy of the particular
Eurpeaan and Spanish Parliamentarism.
The Head of the State
The Prime Minister
The Cabinet
Making Laws in Spain; executives and legislatures
Monarchy in the Spanish Constitution.

Session 7 - Political Parties and Party System
Theory of political parties and party systems
Parties and party system in Spain
Party membership
Power within parties
Party families in Spanish Politics
The role of national parties
The role of regional parties
New parties and movements in Spain.

Session 8 -  [Field Trip] Museu d’Història de Catalunya

Session 9 - Elections, Electoral System and Legislatives
Theories of democratic institutions: consensus and majoritarian systems
The functions of legislatures
Bicameralism in Spanish politics
Checks and balances in the Spanish political system
The relationship between the legislative and the executive in Spain

Session 10 - Midterm  (exam) 

Session 11 - Gender and Politics
Gender policy
Feminism
Electoral quotas
Parties and Gender

Session 12 - The territorial Model
Decentralisation
Estado autonómico
Territorial conflict
Nationalism

Session 13 -  Catalonia: history and politics
History
Catalan politics
Nationalism
Catalan institutions

Session 14 - The self-determination debate 
Territorial conflict
Self-determination demands
Accommodation and decentralization

Session 15- [Field Trip] Institut d’Estudis de l’Autogovern (Catalan Self-Government Institute

Session 16 - [ Field Trip] Catalan Parliament Visit

Session 17 - The EU and the Europeanization of the Spanish Political System
The European integration process
Europeanization and institutional analysis
Effects of the Europeanization process in the Spanish political system
The merger between the domestic and the European policy processes.

Session 18- Final Paper poster exhibition

Session 19 - Recap Social Q&A

Session 20 - Final Exam 

Required Readings: The professor will assemble a coursepack/or indicate mandatory textbooks