State and Nation in Spain

Module description

This module will cover Spanish politics and history from 1870 to the 2000s. In this module the students will explore the development and consolidation of Spain as a modern nation and state, and its challenges. The module will explore ideas of modern 'Spain' with reference to the collapse of empire, the emergence and crisis of the liberal state, mass politics, and the development of industrial capitalism and alternative national(ist) projects. The module will also cover the importance of debates about the 'nation' and the role of nationalism with reference to the post dictatorship Constitutional order, and the adoption of the territorial structure of the State of Autonomies. The module will also explore how globalization and migration have challenged questions of citizenship and nationhood in contemporary Spain.

Assessment details

2000 word essay (60%), 2000 word take home essay exam (40%) 

Educational aims & objectives

1. Understand the relationship between state building and nationalist ideologies broadly, and in the context of Spain.
2. Understand processes of nation building considering the development of modern societies, technologies and capitalist economies, and how this apply specifically in the context of Spain.
3. Application of theories of state and nationalism to the Spanish national project, its evolution over time, and to the changing relationship with other national projects in Spain, specifically those of Basque country and Catalonia.
4. Understand the range of stakeholders in the Spanish state, and how these relate to different national projects within the territory of Spain.

Learning outcomes

1. To understand theories of nationalism, and ability to apply them to specific contexts. Specifically, how they apply to Spain historically, and in the present.
2. Develop critical thinking in problems related to nationalism and national identities. For example, dominant public narratives on banal nationalism, and how they apply to the development of the nation-state project under the Franco regime and its contestation, and the making of the Spanish 1978 Constitutional order, and its crisis.
3. Ability to interpret contemporary problems in Spain such as, for example, Catalan secessionism, and challenges to notions of citizenship in the post-1978 context by drawing on theories of nationalism and post-colonialism.

Teaching pattern

two-hours per week

Suggested reading list

• Anderson, B.1991. Imagined Communities. London: Verso
• Balfour, S. ed., 2005. The politics of contemporary Spain. London: Routledge.
• Balfour, S. and Quiroga, A., 2007. The reinvention of Spain: nation and identity since democracy. Oxford University Press.
• Delanty, G. and Kumar, K. eds., 2006. The SAGE handbook of nations and nationalism. Sage
• Gellner, E. 1983. Nations and Nationalism. Oxford: Blackwell
• Hobsbawm, E.J., 2012. Nations and nationalism since 1780: Programme, myth, reality. Cambridge university press.
• Humlebæk, C., 2015. Spain: Inventing the nation. Bloomsbury Publishing.
• Jessop, B. (2016). The State: past, present, future. London: Polity
• Ozkirimili, U. 2000. Theories of Nationalism. London: MacMillan Press.
• McCrone, D. 1998. Sociology of Nationalism. London: Routledge.
• Ross, C., Richardson, B. and Sangrador-Vegas, B., 2013. Contemporary Spain. London: Routledge.
• Vincent, M., 2007. Spain, 1833-2002: people and state. Oxford University Press.

Recommended Journals: Nations and Nationalism; National Identities; Nationalism and Ethnic Politics; Journal of Contemporary History; Journal of Modern History;

Nationalities Papers; South European Society and Politics.

Module description disclaimer

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

Please note that the module descriptions above are related to the current academic year and are subject to change.