Contemporary Spain provides an accessible introduction to the politics, economy, institutions media and cinema of contemporary Spain. This fully revised fourth edition includes new material that makes this the most comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date account of the situation in Spain at this juncture Key features include: accessible and authoritative background information ideal for the non-specialist language student each chapter contains a Spanish/English glossary giving guidance on the use of specialist terms in context along with further reading ideal starting point for more in-depth study. New to this edition: coverage brought up-to-date to include the current economic crisis, related austerity measures and social difficulties new section on the changing public perception of the Spanish monarchy and significant new cases of corruption several chapters expanded to include key topics such as the role of the Internet and social media, key economic issues currently facing the country, youth employment and civil discontent ‘Spain in the Contemporary World’ thoroughly revised to include a more comprehensive account of the relationship between Spain and the EU and other parts of the world new chapter on ‘The Media and Film’ covering covering the most relevant directors and films in contemporary Spanish cinema.. This chapter also includes a discussion on the regional differences and cultures of the various autonomous communities. Suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter. Contemporary Spain is an invaluable resource for all undergraduate students on Hispanic Studies courses. The authoritative background information provides a solid foundation and a springboard for further study.

First Published in 2005. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

An innovative study of artists balancing tradition with creativity

Previous critical studies have focused on feminist approaches to Janes's oeuvre. This study seeks to expand those discussions through an analysis of the aesthetics of cultural otherness (rather than simply gendered otherness) within Janes's prolific literary production.

This book gives fresh insight into the formal and informal workings of this dynamic southern European democracy, thoroughly discussing history, politics, insitutions, parties, economy and foreign policy at an introductory level.

This volume gives access to debates in Spanish women's studies.

This book provides a comprehensive, interdisciplinary study of the multiple legacies of Francoist violence in contemporary Spain, with a special focus on the exhumations of mass graves from the Civil War and post-war era. The various contributions frame their study within a broader reflection on the nature, function and legacies of state-sanctioned violence in its many forms. Offering perspectives from fields as varied as history, political science, literary and cultural studies, forensic and cultural anthropology, international human rights law, sociology, and art, this volume explores the multifaceted nature of a society’s reckoning with past violence. It speaks not only to those interested in contemporary Spain and Western Europe, but also to those studying issues of transitional and post-transitional justice in other national and regional contexts.

Under the Franco regime (1939-1976), films produced in Spain were of poor quality, promoted the regime’s agenda, or were heavily censored. After the dictator’s death, the Spanish film industry transitioned into a new era, one in which artists were able to more freely express themselves and tackle subjects that had been previously stifled. Today, films produced in Spain are among the most highly regarded in world cinema. The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Films features nearly 300 entries on the written by a host of international scholars and film critics. Beginning with movies released after Franco’s death, this volume documents four decades of films, directors, actresses and actors of Spanish cinema. Offering a comprehensive survey of films, the entries address such topics as art, culture, society and politics. Each includes comprehensive production details and provides brief suggestions for further reading. Through its examination of the films of the post-Franco period, this volume offers readers valuable insights into Spanish history, politics, and culture. An indispensable guide to one of the great world cinemas, The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Films will be of interest to students, academics, and the general public alike.

The book analyzes the place of religious difference in late modernity through a study of the role played by Jews and Muslims in the construction of contemporary Spanish national identity. The focus is on the transition from an exclusive, homogeneous sense of collective Self toward a more pluralistic, open and tolerant one in an European context. This process is approached from different dimensions. At the national level, it follows the changes in nationalist historiography, the education system and the public debates on national identity. At the international level, it tackles the problem from the perspective of Spanish foreign policy towards Israel and the Arab-Muslim states in a changing global context. From the social-communicational point of view, the emphasis is on the construction of the Self–Other dichotomy (with Jewish and Muslim others) as reflected in the three leading Spanish newspapers.

"More political than cultural in its emphasis, this enormously detailed, scholarly yet thoroughly readable book about modern Spain under Franco should fascinate any reader curious to know what changes have been wrought in that country in the past 30 years. Professor Herr (UCLA and Berkeley) has researched painstakingly and drawn a clear, authentic and meaningful portrait of Spain today as it is rapidly being transformed from an agrarian society to one now predominantly industrial."--Publishers Weekly "Professor Herr is also seeking the origins of modern Spain; his history is Aristotelian in that the end dominates the process. He seeks these origins in the later eighteenth century when the traditional order was perceived to be a bar to progress. A group of civil servants influenced by the European Enlightenment sought to bring Spain into Europe believing that industrial progress, education and agrarian reform would do the trick; but all their reforms were opposed by Catholic traditionalists. Hence the division into the 'two Spains.' Yet it is not the old crude version of two Spains, so often served up to explain everything from the failure of university reform to the Civil War, that Professor Herr plumps for. He sees the course of Spanish history explained by the rise and modification of the Moderado oligarchy. . . . he does throw out a lifeline in a sea of complexities and gives us the best short account of Franco Spain."--Spectator "This is a work of substantial interest and value which must be recommended as a well-balanced, readable, and scholarly introduction to a subject which has never ceased to be controversial and is still in the process of reinterpretation. . . .commands a high place among the general histories of Spain."--Journal of Modern History