Sociology - Spain Today: Society and Institutions (22.5 contact hours)
OBJECTIVES

To become familiar with present-day Spanish society through some of its most representative aspects: population, economy and culture.

COURSE CONTENT

• 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).

Economics - The Spanish Economy Today (22.5 hours)
TERM 1 : Analysis of the Spanish Economy


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

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´s financing


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 (1986- 2006), Madrid, Real Instituto Elcano.

ASSESSMENT