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Unit information: Republic, War and Dictatorship in Spain, 1931 - 1975 in 2016/17

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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
Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

School/department Department of Hispanic, Portuguese and Latin American Studies
Faculty Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This unit provides an overview of Spain's troubled march through Republic, Civil War and Dictatorship. It begins with the expectations raised by the proclamation of the Second Republic in April 1931 and concludes with the new hopes established by the death of General Franco and the end of the dictatorship in November 1975. Particular attention will be paid to the polarisation of politics and the breakdown of democracy which took place in the 1930s; the nature of the two Spains at war and its international allies, the foundations and consolidation of Franco's lenghty dictatorship as well as its late crisis and demise.

Aims:

  • To introduce students to a significant body of knowledge of a complexity appropriate to second year level. The content matter will normally include one or more of the following: literature; social, cultural or political history; linguistics; cultural studies; film, television or other media.
  • To facilitate students’ engagement with a body of literature, including secondary literature, texts, including in non-print media, primary sources and ideas as a basis for their own analysis and development. Normally many or most of these sources will be in a language other than English and will enhance the development of their linguistic skills.
  • To develop further skills of synthesis, analysis and independent research, building on the skills acquired in units at level C.
  • Some options may prepare students for the experience of the Year Abroad.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Successful students will:

  • be knowledgeable about a significant cultural, historical or linguistic subject related to the language they are studying;
  • be skilled in the selection and synthesis of relevant material;
  • be able to evaluate and analyse relevant material from a significant body of source materials, usually in a foreign language, at a high level;
  • be able to respond to questions or problems by presenting their independent judgements in an appropriate style and at an high level of complexity;
  • be able to transfer these skills to other working environments, including study at a foreign university and on work placements during the year abroad.

Teaching Information

Normally one lecture hour and one seminar hour per week across one teaching block (22 contact hours), often with student presentations. In units with a smaller number of students the lecture hour may be replaced by a second seminar or a workshop. Units involving film may require students to view films outside the timetabled contact hours.

Assessment Information

essay 33.3%, exam 66.6%

Reading and References

J. Alvarez Junco & A. Shubert (eds), Spanish History since 1808 (Arnold, 2000).

S. Balfour & P. Preston (eds), Spain and the Great Powers in the 20th Century (Routledge, 1999).

R. Carr & J.P Fusi, Spain, Dictatorship to Democracy (Unwin Hyman Ltd, 1981).

J.M. Jover Zamora et al, España: Sociedad, Política y Civilización, Siglos XIX-XX (Debate, 2001).

P. Preston, Franco: A Biography (HarperCollins, 1993).

F.J. Romero Salvadó, Twentieth Century Spain (Macmillan, 1999). Methods of assessment

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