| Unit name | Republic, War and Dictatorship in Spain, 1931 - 1975 |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HISP20076 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Paco Romero Salvado |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Hispanic, Portuguese and Latin American Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
This unit introduces you to the exciting field of modern Spanish politics and history. It is a study of Spain's tortured twentieth century and its chequered path to modernity. It begins and ends with democracy: first, with the overthrow of the monarchy (King Alfonso XIII) and proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931, and second with the transition of 1975 following the death of General Franco. In the interim, it deals with the troubled and short-lived experience of the Second Republic (1931-1936), the rapid descent into a polarized society and the outbreak of a brutal fratricidal struggle. The Spanish tragedy is then examined as the last battle in a European Civil War which had begun with the Russian Revolutions of 1917. It finally explores the nature and evolution/transformation of Franco’s dictatorship from its quasi-totalitarian national-Catholic premises to its pretence of being a paternalist developmental regime.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit’s objective is to provide the skills and tasks to consolidate and further the knowledge acquired in the first-year core units. This is an analytical survey-course of modern political history. It introduces you to the key vocabulary, concepts and scholarly debates relating to historical causation and political organisation which you will be able to investigate in more depth in your final year.
An overview of content
This unit covers a tumultuous a crucial period in modern Spanish history: the years from the proclamation of the Second Republic in 1931 to the death of Francisco Franco in 1975. Using a wide range of primary sources, you will explore key moments and concepts such as the outbreak of civil war in 1936, the nature of the two Spains at war, the foundations and consolidation of Franco's lengthy dictatorship as well as its late crisis and demise.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
In taking this unit you will acquire a strong knowledge of the modern history of Spain, with a special focus not just on its domestic politics but also vis-à-vis a wider European perspective. You will also have acquired crucial grasp of the key vocabulary, concepts, and historiography of modern Spanish history and politics. The unit’s formative presentation tasks will help you develop skills in effective oral communication and collaborative working. Preparation for the summative assessment will allow you to develop as a self-motivated researcher.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this unit students will be able to:
The unit is taught through one hour-long weekly lecture and one hour-long weekly seminar. Seminar sessions will include a range of tasks designed to help you develop your knowledge and skills in oral and written historical analysis, such as group/individual presentations; role-plays (e.g. 1930s domestic political parties and the great powers vis-à-vis the Civil War); analysis of primary sources (party manifestos, political speeches; diaries, etc.); class discussions and debates; etc.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Group presentation on one of the weekly seminar topics.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Coursework essay, 3,000 words (100%) [ILOs 1-4]
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. HISP20076).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
