| Lecturer: Raimundo Viejo (Fall) & Javier Arregui & Albert Falcó (Spring) |
| email:raimundo.viejo@upf.edu javier.arregui@upf.edu albert.falco@upf.edu |
| Office: 20.182 (Raimundo) 20.144 (Javier) 20.125 (Albert) Jaume I Building (Ciutadella Campus) |
DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to give both political science and non-political science majors an overview of fundamental issues in the study of Spanish politics. The core of the course is the study of the nature and functioning of the Spanish democratic system installed since the middle of the seventies, paying special attention to the main political processes, institutions, actors, political culture and electoral behavior. We will spend also some time at the beginning of the course studying the previous Spanish democratic experience (1931-1936), its collapse (1936-1939), the authoritarian rule imposed by Franco) and the Spanish transition to democracy (1975-1978) which has strongly influenced the current features of the Spanish political system.
METHODOLOGY
Lectures with the support of overheads and few power point presentations. Discussion sessions based on designated readings.
LANGUAGE OF PRESENTATION
English required work and form of assessment: Two take home exams covering the materials in class and readings and two short essay papers (3-4 pages) responding concrete specific questions using the materials of the reading package.
GRADING SCALE
Your final grade Hill be calculated as follows:
Class attendance and participation and two short essays to be submitted during the course 40%
Take Home Midterm exam 30%
Take Home final exam 40%
SESSIONS
Session 1
Introduction to the Course, Objectives, Course format, Principal contents and overview of the course
Session 2
Basic Facts on Spanish Politics. Spanish Political Development: The Francoist Regime. Its nature and Collapse.
Reading:
Raymond Carr and Juan Pablo Fussi, Spain Dictatorship to Democracy: pp. 15-48
Gunther, Richard, José Ramón Montero and Joan Botella, Democracy in Modern Spain. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004, pp. 65-78.
Recommended reading:
Preston, Paul, The Triumph of Democracy in Spain, pp. 1-52.
Session 3
The Legacy of History: the Institutional Legacy of Francoism.
Reading:
Heywood, Paul, Institucional Legacy of Francoism, in the Government and Politics of Spain, pp. 57-80
Recommended reading:
North, ´An Introduction to Institutions and Institutional Change`, in Institutions and Institutional Change and Economic Performance, pp. 3-10.
Session 4
Transition from Dictatorship to Democracy I: Theories of Democratization.
Reading:
Bunce, Valery. 2000. "Comparative Democratization: Big and Bounded Generalizations", Comparative Political Studies 33(6/7):703-734
Recommended reading:
Adam Przeworski, Michael Alvarez, José Antonio Cheibub and Fernando Limongi. "What Makes Democracies Endure?" Journal of Democracy, 7 (1), 1996: 39-55.
Session 5
Transition from Dictatorship to Democracy II: The Spanish Case.
Reading:
Gunther, Richard, José Ramón Montero and Joan Botella, Democracy in Modern Spain. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004, pp. 79-107.
Recommended reading:
Preston, Paul, The Triumph of Democracy in Spain, pp. 53-121.Maravall, José María and Julián Santamaría, "Political Change in Spain and the Prospects for Democracy." In: O´Donnell, Schmitter and Whitehead, Transitions form Authoritarian Rule.
Session 6
The Institutions of the Spanish Democracy I: Parlamentarism versus Presidentialism.
Reading:
Lijphart, ´Parliaments: Concentration vs. Sharing of Legislative Power`, in Democracies, pp. 90-105
Recommended reading:
Linz, ´The Virtues of Parliamentarism` in The Global Resurgence of Democracy, pp. 154-161.
Session 7
The Institutions of the Spanish Democracy II: The Central Government, the executive and the Monarchy.
Reading:
Van Biezen, I., y J. Hopkin. 2005. The presidentialization of Spanish democracy: sources of prime ministerial power in post-Franco Spain´, en The presidentialization of politics, editado por T. Poguntke y P. Webb. Oxford University Press. pp. 106-127
Recommended reading:
Heywood, P. 1995. ´Central Government, Monarchy, Core Executive and Parliament`, en The Government and Politics of Spain, Macmillan Press, pp. 83-102.
Session 8
The Institutions of the Spanish Democracy III- The structure of the Spanish state: The Autonomous Regions (Comunidades Autónomas).
Reading:
Colomer, J.M., 1998. ´The Spanish State of Autonomies: non-institutional federalism`, West European Politics, 1998 21(4): 40-52.
Recommended reading:
Lijphart, A., 1999, Patterns of democracy: government forms and performance in thirty-six countries, Yale University Press, pp. 185-199.
Session 9
The Institutions of the Spanish Democracy IV: Political Parties and Party System in Spain.
Reading:
Gunther, Richard, José Ramón Montero and Joan Botella, Democracy in Modern Spain. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004, pp. 198-237.
Recommended reading:
Gallagher, M., M. Laver and P. Mair. 2006. ´Party politics and party systems in Europe`, in Representative Government in Modern Europe, pp. 187-227.
Session 10
Simulation session
Session 11
The Institutions of the Spanish Democracy V: Legislatives in Spanish Politics.
Reading:
Maurer, L. 1999. ´Parliamentary Influence in a New Democracy : The Spanish Congress´, Journal of Legislative Studies, 5: 24-45.
Recommended reading:
Gallagher, M., M. Laver and P. Mair. 2006. ´Parliaments`, in Representative Government in Modern Europe, pp. 57-82.
Mújica, A.; Sánchez-Cuenca, I. 2006. "Consensus and Parliamentary Opposition: The Case of Spain". Government and Opposition 41 (1): 86-108
Session 12
Midterm (take home exam)
Session 13
The Institutions of the Spanish Democracy VI: The judiciary within the Spanish Political System
Reading:
Heywood, The Judiciary and the State of the Law, pp. 103-120.
Recommended readings:
Maravall, El Estado de Derecho como arma política, in ´El Control de los Políticos`, pp. 168-222.
Stone-Sweet, A., 2000, Governing with judges: Constitutional politics in Europe, Oxford University Press, pp. 31-60.
Session 14
The Institutions of the Spanish Democracy VIII: The Spanish Media as political actors.
Reading:
Hallin, D., and P. Manzini. 2004, ´The Mediterranean or polarized pluralist model´, in Comparing Media Systems. Three Models of Media and Politics. Cambridge University Press, pp. 89-142.
Recommended reading:
Gunther, R., J.R. Montero, and J.I. Wert, 2000, ´The Media and Politics in Spain: From Dictatorship to Democracy`, in R. Gunther y A. Mughan (eds.), Democracy and the Media: A Comparative Perspective. Cambridge University Press.
Session 15
The Institutions of the Spanish Democracy IX: The Electoral System in Spain.
Reading:
Heywood, ´The Electoral System`, in The Government and Politics of Spain, pp 165-173.
Recommended reading:
Lijphart, A. 1990, The Political consequences of electoral laws, American Political Science Review 84 (2): 481-496.
Session 16
Elections, political competition and the Spanish voter.
Reading:
Gunther, Richard, José Ramón Montero and Joan Botella, Democracy in Modern Spain. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004, pp. 237-279.
Recommended reading:
Pradeep Chhibber and Mariano Torcal, "Elite Strategy, Social Cleavages, and Party Systems in a New Democracy." Comparative Political Studies, 30 (1), 1997: 27-54.
Session 17
Political culture and political participation in Spain.
Reading:
José Ramón Montero, Richard P. Gunther and Mariano Torcal, "Democracy in Spain: Legitimacy, Discontent, and Disaffection," Studies in Comparative International Development, 32 (3), Fall 1997: 124-60.
Recommended reading:
José Ramón Montero and Mariano Torcal, "Voters and Citizens in a New Democracy. Some Trend Data on Political Attitudes in Spain," International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 2 (2), 1990: 116-40.
Session 18
Visit to the Parliament
Session 19
The Europeanization of the Spanish Political System.
Reading:
Closa and Heywood, 2004, `Institutional adaptation: reshaping political structures`, in Spain and the European Union. London: Palgrave.
Recommended reading:
Arregui, Javier, 2007, Europeización y Transformación Institucional del Sistema Político Español, in España en Europa, Europa en España (1986-2006). Barcelona: CIDOB.
Session 20
General Conclusion: The Spanish Democracy. Majoritarian or Pluralistic?
Reading:
Lijphart, Arend, Patterns of Democracy. Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six Countries. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999, pp. 9-47 and pp. 275-300
Recommended reading:
Colomer, Josep Maria, Political Institutions. Democracy and Social Choice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001, chapter 1, pp. 1-17
Session 21
Final exam
Session 22
Final conclusions of the course
REQUIRED READINGS
Carr, R., and Juan Pablo Fussi, Spain Dictatorship to Democracy: pp. 15-48.
Gunther, Richard, José Ramón Montero and Joan Botella, Democracy in Modern Spain. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004, pp. 65-78.
Heywood, Paul, Institucional Legacy of Francoism, in the Government and Politics of Spain, pp. 57-80.
Bunce, Valery. 2000. "Comparative Democratization: Big and Bounded Generalizations", Comparative Political Studies 33(6/7):703-734.
Gunther, Richard, José Ramón Montero and Joan Botella, Democracy in Modern Spain. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004, pp. 79-107.
Lijphart, ´Parliaments: Concentration vs. Sharing of Legislative Power`, in Democracies, pp. 90-105.
Van Biezen, I., y J. Hopkin. 2005. The presidentialization of Spanish democracy: sources of prime ministerial power in post-Franco Spain´, en The presidentialization of politics, editado por T. Poguntke y P. Webb. Oxford University Press. pp. 106-127.
Colomer, J.M., 1998. ´The Spanish State of Autonomies: non-institutional federalism`, West European Politics, 1998 21(4): 40-52.
Gunther, Richard, José Ramón Montero and Joan Botella, Democracy in Modern Spain. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004, pp. 198-237.
Maurer, L. 1999. ´Parliamentary Influence in a New Democracy : The Spanish Congress´, Journal of Legislative Studies, 5: 24-45.
Heywood, The Judiciary and the State of the Law, pp. 103-120.
Hallin, D., and P. Manzini. 2004, ´The Mediterranean or polarized pluralist model´, in Comparing Media Systems. Three Models of Media and Politics. Cambridge University Press, pp. 89-142.
Heywood, ´The Electoral System`, in The Government and Politics of Spain, pp 165-173.
Gunther, Richard, José Ramón Montero and Joan Botella, Democracy in Modern Spain. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004, pp. 237-279.
José Ramón Montero, Richard P. Gunther and Mariano Torcal, "Democracy in Spain: Legitimacy, Discontent, and Disaffection," Studies in Comparative International Development, 32 (3), Fall 1997: 124-60.
Closa and Heywood, 2004, `Institutional adaptation: reshaping political structures`, in Spain and the European Union. London: Palgrave.
Lijphart, Arend, Patterns of Democracy. Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six Countries. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999, pp. 9-47 and pp. 275-300.
RECOMMENDED READINGS
Preston, Paul, The Triumph of Democracy in Spain, pp. 1-52.
North, ´An Introduction to Institutions and Institutional Change`, in Institutions and Institutional Change and Economic Performance, pp. 3-10.
Adam Przeworski, Michael Alvarez, José Antonio Cheibub and Fernando Limongi. "What Makes Democracies Endure?" Journal of Democracy, 7 (1), 1996: 39-55.
Preston, Paul, The Triumph of Democracy in Spain, pp. 53-121.Maravall, José María and Julián Santamaría, "Political Change in Spain and the Prospects for Democracy." In: O´Donnell, Schmitter and Whitehead, Transitions form Authoritarian Rule.
Linz, ´The Virtues of Parliamentarism` in The Global Resurgence of Democracy, pp. 154-161.
Heywood, P. 1995. ´Central Government, Monarchy, Core Executive and Parliament`, en The Government and Politics of Spain, Macmillan Press, pp. 83-102.
Lijphart, A., 1999, Patterns of democracy: government forms and performance in thirty-six countries, Yale University Press, pp. 185-199.
Gallagher, M., M. Laver and P. Mair. 2006. ´Party politics and party systems in Europe`, in Representative Government in Modern Europe, pp. 187-227.
Gallagher, M., M. Laver and P. Mair. 2006. ´Parliaments`, in Representative Government in Modern Europe, pp. 57-82.
Mújica, A.; Sánchez-Cuenca, I. 2006. "Consensus and Parliamentary Opposition: The Case of Spain". Government and Opposition 41 (1): 86-108
Maravall, El Estado de Derecho como arma política, in ´El Control de los Políticos`, pp. 168-222.
Stone-Sweet, A., 2000, Governing with judges: Constitutional politics in Europe, Oxford University Press, pp. 31-60.
Gunther, R., J.R. Montero, and J.I. Wert, 2000, ´The Media and Politics in Spain: From Dictatorship to Democracy`, in R. Gunther y A. Mughan (eds.), Democracy and the Media: A Comparative Perspective. Cambridge University Press.
Lijphart, A. 1990, The Political consequences of electoral laws, American Political Science Review 84 (2): 481-496.
Pradeep Chhibber and Mariano Torcal, "Elite Strategy, Social Cleavages, and Party Systems in a New Democracy." Comparative Political Studies, 30 (1), 1997: 27-54.
José Ramón Montero and Mariano Torcal, "Voters and Citizens in a New Democracy. Some Trend Data on Political Attitudes in Spain," International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 2 (2), 1990: 116-40.
Arregui, Javier, 2007, Europeización y Transformación Institucional del Sistema Político Español, in España en Europa, Europa en España (1986-2006). Barcelona: CIDOB.
Colomer, Josep Maria, Political Institutions. Democracy and Social Choice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001, chapter 1, pp. 1-17.