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Spanish Politics

Code: 101078
Credits: 12
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Political Science and Public Management OB 2

Contact lecturer

Name :
Aránzazu Tirado Sanchez
Email :
arantxa.tirado@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Ricard Vilaregut Saez
Aránzazu Tirado Sanchez

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

Students must master the essential elements of the introductory course to Political Science

 

 

 

Objectives

 

The course aims at making students familiar with the main features of the Spanish political system, its problems and its evolutionnary trends.

 

The course aims at giving to students conceptual elements, as well as methodological instruments, beyond a simple "memoristic" approach

Learning outcomes

  1. Working in teams and networking, particularly in interdisciplinary conditions.
  2. Identifying sources of data and conducting bibliographic and documentary searches.
  3. Synthesizing and critically analysing information.
  4. Interpreting and applying English texts in an academic way.
  5. Arguing from different theoretical perspectives.
  6. Working by using quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques in order to apply them to research processes.
  7. Using the main information and documentation techniques (ICT) as an essential tool for the analysis.
  8. Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  9. Showing a good capacity for transmitting information, distinguishing key messages for their different recipients.
  10. Realising effective oral presentations that are suited to the audience.
  11. Managing the available time in order to accomplish the established objectives and fulfil the intended task.
  12. Working autonomously.
  13. Demonstrating the comprehension of the structure and functioning of political systems in the internal and international arena, both in the analytic area and in the elaboration of intervention proposals or public policies.
  14. Connecting the different components that shape the structure and operations of political systems and the environment where they interact.
  15. Analysing the electoral processes, including campaigns, parties' electoral strategies, political scenarios and analysis and interpretation of electoral results.
  16. Explaining political, individual and collective attitudes and behaviours, as well as the education process and expression of political preferences.
  17. Identifying and distinguishing the functioning of the electoral processes.
  18. Demonstrating knowledge about the structure and working of the European Union and its main institutions, as well as identifying the main political actors and recognising the main means of integration.
  19. Develop critical thought and reasoning and be able to communicate them effectively, both in your own language and second or third languages.
  20. Develop strategies for autonomous learning.
  21. Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  22. Make changes to the methods and processes of the area of knowledge to provide innovative responses to the needs and wishes of society.
  23. Assess the social, economic and environmental impact when acting in this field of knowledge.
  24. Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.

Contents

 


Block 1. The background of the system



T1. The Spanish political tradition: the bases and forms of political conflict in Spain
T2. Constitutional history: 1812 - 1931
T3. The Second Republic
T4. The Civil War and Francoism
T5. The Transition


 


Block 2. The institutional structure and legislatures



T6. Constituent process and Spanish Constitution of 1978
T7. The territorial structure of the State and national plurality
T8. Political institutions:
- The Government
- The Cortes Generales
- The Constitutional Court
T9. The legislatures - from 1977 to the present day


Block 3. Contemporary Spanish politics



T10. Spanish society:
- Political culture
- Political participation
T11. Regime crisis and new politics?
T12. The evolution and main problems of local government
T13. Spain's Foreign Policy


 


Block 4. Actors of the System: Parties, Movements and Social Classes



T14. Party System and Political Parties. Case Studies
T15. Contentious Politics: Social Movements and Protest Cycles
T16. Social Classes as Political Actors: Economic Power and the Working Class
T17. Judicial Power and Lawfare


 

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Personal interviews 10 0.4
Lectures 96 3.84
Preparation of papers, presentations, etc.. 28 1.12
Practices 16 0.64
Personal work by the student 138 5.52

The course has a value of 12 ECTS, which mean a work load for the student of 300 hours, distributed as follows:

- 105 hours of general, teaching activities: lectures, seminars, etc.

- 45 hours of supervised work, conducted by the student outside the classroom, under teacher's supervision

- 150 hours of self-directed work by the student, which include readings, preparation of seminars, personal, study, etc.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
1st. section exercise 10 % 2 0.08 3, 5, 8, 10
3rd section exercise 10 % 2 0.08 3, 5, 8, 10
First semester exam 25% 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Second semester exam 25 % 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
4th section exercise 10% 2 0.08 3, 5, 8, 10
2nd section exercise 10% 2 0.08 5, 8, 10, 19

SEE CATALAN AND SPANISH SECTION

Bibliography

 

 SEE CATALAN SECTION

Software

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Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan annual morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan annual morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 1 Catalan annual morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 10 Catalan annual morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 51 Catalan annual afternoon
(PAUL) Classroom practices 51 Catalan annual afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 51 Catalan annual afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 510 Catalan annual morning-mixed