Checking date: 19/05/2025 08:41:04


Course: 2025/2026

Current Politics of Spain
(17700)
Bachelor in History and Politics (Study Plan 2018) (Plan: 394 - Estudio: 352)


Coordinating teacher: FERNANDEZ VAZQUEZ, PABLO ALBERTO

Department assigned to the subject: Social Sciences Department

Type: Compulsory
ECTS Credits: 6.0 ECTS

Course:
Semester:




Requirements (Subjects that are assumed to be known)
Knowledge of the contemporary history of Spain.
Objectives
Knowledge of the institutional framework and the development of the different political stages in Spain, as well as of party and electoral dynamics in Spain, from the Transition up to the current period. Acquisition of a global understanding of the major processes of political change in Spain in historical perspective, as well as of the parliamentary models, party systems and intervening agents in Spanish politics.
Learning Outcomes
K2: To know the historical evolution of political institutions, from Antiquity to the present day, identifying their impact on government systems K4: Classify the different political systems and governance structures at the global level, comparing their similarities and differences K5: Describe the actors, institutions, and processes that shape international relations, explaining their influence on the global landscape K6: To compare historical economic systems, relating them to their socio-political context from Antiquity to the present day S1: Build solid historical and political arguments from a rigorous documentary base S2: Apply logical and creative thinking in solving complex historiographical and political problems S3: Experiment with research methodologies, simulating historical or political situations relevant to their analysis S4: Simulate geopolitical scenarios and international conflicts, demonstrating understanding of their implications S5: Demonstrate academic writing skills by crafting essays and articles based on original research S8: Creating innovative approaches to address historical and political problems S9: Observe historical and political phenomena with a critical and contextual perspective C1: Have critical and analytical skills evaluating historical sources and political texts to interpret their relevance in real contexts C2: Solve complex problems by adapting historical and political knowledge to propose effective solutions in contemporary situations C3: Actively participate in interdisciplinary projects to analyze historical and political phenomena from multiple perspectives C4: Demonstrate the ability to integrate theoretical knowledge into practical scenarios such as public policy analysis or historical-cultural projects C5: Develop skills to convey clear and grounded ideas about history and politics, orally and in writing
Description of contents: programme
General analysis of the political history of Spain, from the Transition to the present moment. The institutional framework of Spain. The Constitution. The territorial and parliamentary model: advantages and disadvantages. The electoral system and analysis of electoral processes. The party system in Spain and its transformations. Political evolution in Spain: from bipartisanship to fragmentation. Polarization; corruption; populism. Party and non-party actors and their modes of intervention in Spanish politics. Spain in the European Union.
Learning activities and methodology
Af1. THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL CLASSES. In these, the information that students must acquire will be presented. Students will receive class notes and have basic reference texts with which to follow the classes and develop subsequent work. Exercises and practical problems will be resolved by the student. and workshops and evaluation tests will be held in order to acquire the necessary skills. AF2. TUTORIALS. Individual attendance (individua tutorials) or in groups (collective tutorials) will be provided for the students by the professor. AF3. INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP WORK BY THE STUDENT. MD1. THEORETICAL CLASS. Presentations in class by the professor with the aid of informational and audiovisual media, in which the basic concepts of the material are developed and in which the material and bibliography with which to complete the learning of the students are provided. MD2. PRACTICAL SESSIONS. Resolution of practical cases and problems etc. introduced by the professor either individually or in group. MD3. TUTORIALS. Indivividual attendance (individual tutorials) or in group (collective tutorials) provided for the students by the professor.
Assessment System
  • % end-of-term-examination/test 60
  • % of continuous assessment (assigments, laboratory, practicals...) 40

Calendar of Continuous assessment


Extraordinary call: regulations
Basic Bibliography
  • Adolfo Hernández Lafuente y Consuelo Laíz Castro. Atlas de elecciones y paridos políticos en España (1977-2016). Síntesis, S.A.. 2017
  • Alfonso Pinilla García. La Transición en España. España en Transición: Historia reciente de nuestra democracia. Alianza Editorial. 2021
  • Francisco Cardells-Martí. Mito y nación: Radiografía del nacionalismo en España. Editorial Universidad Francisco de Vitoria. 2019
  • Irene Delgado Sotillos y Lourdes López Nieto. Comportamiento político y sociología electoral. UNED. 2012
  • J.M. Reniú (ed.). Sistema político español. Huygens. 2013
  • Joaquim Molins, Luz Muños Márquez, Iván Medina. Los grupos de interés en España. Tecnos. 2016
  • Josep María Vallés y Salvador Martí i Puig. Ciencia política. Un manual.. Ariel. 2020
  • Raimundo Bassels. Veinte Años de España en Europa. Biblioteca Nueva. 2013
  • Santos Juliá. Transición. Galaxia Gutenberg. 2017
Additional Bibliography
  • Fernando Vallespín y Máriam Martínez Bascuñán. Populismos. Alianza Editorial. 2017
  • Fernando Ónega. Puedo prometer y prometo. Penguin Random House. 2015
  • Gaizka Fernández Soldevilla. El terrorismo en España: De Eta a Dáesh. Cátedra. 2021
  • Ignacio Sánchez-Cuenca. ETA contra el Estado. Tusquets Editores S.A.. 2001
  • Ignacio Sánchez-Cuenca. EL DESORDEN POLITICO. Democracias sin intermediación. Los Libros de la Catarata. 2022
  • Javier Pradera. La Transición Española y la Democracia. Fondo de Cultura Económica e España, S.L.. 2016
  • José María Aznar. Ocho años de gobierno. Planeta. 2004
  • Juan Carlos Pereira Castañares. La política exterior de España. De la Transición a la consolidación democrática (1986-2001). Catarata. 2018
  • L. Medina. Izquierda y derecha en España: un estudio longitudinal y comparado. CIS. 2015
  • Manuel Ortega Ruiz. Felipe González, la ambición que cambió España. Tecnos. 2015
  • Oscar López. Del 15M al Procés: La gran transformación de la política española. Deusto. 2018
  • Sandra León et al. La financación autonómica: Claves para comprender un (interminable) debate. Alianza Editorial. 2015
  • Sergio del Molino. La España vacía. Un viaje por un país que nunca fue. Turner. 2016
  • Víctor Lapuente. La corrupción en España: Un paseo por el lado oscuro de la democracia y el gobierno. Alianza Editorial. 2016

The course syllabus may change due academic events or other reasons.