Level B Spanish Society and Economy

Universitat de Barcelona
SUBJECT TITLE:
Spanish Society & Economy (45 contact hours)
This Subject is comprised of:
-Spain Today: Society and Institutions (22.5 contact hours)
-Spanish Economy Today (22.5 contact hours)
LEVEL B (ADVANCED & SUPERIOR):
Spain Today: Society and Institutions
Fall Course Title:
Spain Today: Society and Institutions I
Spring Course Title: Spain Today: Society and Institutions II
OBJECTIVES
• To introduce students to the diversity of Spain through its natural regions and Autonomous Regions.
• To study the process towards democracy through the political transition.
• To study the Spanish Constitution and present-day institutions.
COURSE CONTENT
• Present-day Spain: its socio-cultural and economic diversity.
• The political transition to democracy.
• The Spanish Constitution: The State of the Autonomies and of the institutions.
• Population and society.
• Foreign relations.
• The Spanish economy and the welfare state.
• Spanish culture today.
READING LIST
FUSI, J.P. - PALAFOX, J., (1997), España: 1808-1996. El desafío de la modernidad, Madrid, Espasa-Calpe.
PICAZO, M. T., (1996), Historia de España del siglo XX, Barcelona, Crítica (Colección Nuevos Instrumentos
Universitarios).
ASSESSMENT
At the end of the each term, students write a paper based on the subjects and concepts studied in class.
Spanish Economy Today
Fall Course Title:
Analysis of the Spanish Economy
Spring Course Title: Spanish Contemporary Economic Policy
OBJECTIVES
The aim of the course is to introduce the main characteristics and the key players in current Spanish
economy and over the recent decades. The main objective is to provide students with the essential elements
to grasp the current Spanish economy, which will be analyzed in class by commenting articles published in
the press. The course is organized in two terms. The first term will introduce the factors that define the
Spanish economy in general (its main areas of activity, its most relevant weaknesses, the evolution of
consumption, etc.) and briefly review the economic policies implemented by the different governments of the
Franco era. The second term centres on the last 25 years of democracy in Spain, placing particular emphasis
on aspects -- such as tax policy and the financing of the Autonomous Regional Communities-- that remain at
the forefront of an ongoing economic debate.
COURSE CONTENT (Fall Semester)
Introduction:
• The strong points and weak points of the Spanish economy.
• The media
• Banks and savings banks.
• Management and trade unions.
• Spain and the European Union
• The treasury and social security
• Regional Autonomous Governments´ financing
COURSE CONTENT (Spring Semester)
The Franco era (1939-1975):
• War, backwardness and autarchy
• The miracle of the sixties
The Transition (1975-1982):
• The Moncloa Agreements
The PSOE years in power (1982-1996):
• The reform of the productive sector.
• Taking off in the eighties
• Corruption and the "cultura del pelotazo"
The PP years in power (1996-2001):
• Stability and new liberalism.
READING LIST
GARCÍA DELGADO, J.L. (dir.) (1993), España, economía, (6ª edición), Madrid, Espasa Calpe.
NADAL, J. - CARRERAS, A. - SUDRIA, C., (1987), La economía española en el siglo XX. Una perspectiva
histórica, Barcelona, Ariel.
TAMAMES, R. - RUEDA, A., (1998), Introducción a la economía española, (23ª edición), Madrid, Alianza
Editorial.
CHISLETT, W. (dir.) (2007), Spain. Going places. Madrid, Fundación Telefónica.
PEDRAFITA, S., STEINBERG, F., TORREBLANCA, J.I. (2007), 20 años de España en la Unión Europea (19862006), Madrid, Real Instituto Elcano.