| Unit name | The Spanish Civil War, 1936 - 1939 |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HISP30076 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. 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?
The tragedy that devastated Spain for 33 months, from July 1936 to April 1939, was, first and above all, a brutal fratricidal struggle; the product of the final clash between diametrically opposed views of Spain and an attempt to settle crucial issues which had divided Spaniards for generations: agrarian reform, recognition of the identity of the historical regions (Catalonia, the Basque Country), and the roles of the Catholic Church and the armed forces in a modern state. However, it would not be possible to explain the immense interest aroused by the Spanish Civil War if it was merely another domestic dispute. The best explanation for that lies in the fact that the Spanish conflict cannot be separated from the wider European picture. As the London Times noted, in an editorial in September 1936, the Spanish tragedy represented the distorting mirror in which Europe could see a reflection of its own tensions, hatreds and antagonisms. Indeed, the Spanish conflict became the fiercest battle in a European Civil War which had been raging on the continent since the Bolshevik seizure of power in October 1917. To a large extent, it was the international response that dictated the course and outcome of the conflict.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit’s objective is to provide you with the tasks and tools to become independent researchers and critical thinkers. This is a final year research-led unit which is closely intertwined with the unit director’s academic expertise and interests. You will be able to improve your skills in oral and written argumentation through the sustained analysis of primary sources, the use of a wide array of background secondary literature, and the production of a substantial research-led essay.
An overview of content
This unit analyses Spain’s brutal fratricidal conflict. Students will have access to a vast array of primary sources with which to explore key themes such as the comparative evolution of both warring camps, including domestic repression, mobilisation and centralisation as well as the crucial impact of the international response to the course and outcome of the war. This will include the way in which the Spanish conflict affected the continental balance of power.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will have become an expert in the political history of the Spanish civil war. Working independently towards a research essay, under the guidance of the unit tutor, will help you develop your self-motivation and planning skills. The formative workshop tasks will help you build skills in collaborative working and oral communication.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Weekly workshops based on analysis of primary sources, use of background secondary literature, and round-table discussions. A small group of students introduce and manage each weekly session (your presentation topic must be different from the theme chosen for your final essay).
Learning Outcomes
Through the study of this unit, students should be able to:
Seminars will be organised around the sustained use and analysis of primary sources, backed up by round-table discussions and critical engagement with background secondary literature.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (formative):
Formative group presentation (required to pass) (0%) [ILO 6]
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Research-led coursework essay, 4,000 words (100%) [ILOs 1-5]
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. HISP30076).
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 assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
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.
