Policy In Spain Research Articles

Las minas de mercurio de Almadén de 1939 a 1960. Estrategias de producción, modernización, y su repercusión en los obreros y la población

Almadén significa en árabe la mina, así que su población ha vivido siempre de y para la mina, y en las décadas de 1940 y 1950 también, pues de sus 10.000 habitantes, 2.500 eran mineros. En este artículo sobre Almadén, el mayor yacimiento de mercurio del mundo, se contemplan tres etapas de su larga historia: la posguerra (1939-1945), la autarquía (1945-1950) y el llamado decenio bisagra (1950-1960), analizando el contexto socioeconómico, los medios de producción en las labores subterráneas y en los hornos, la mano de obra libre y obligada (en la posguerra), la salud y seguridad de los operarios, el medio ambiente del entorno y las relaciones laborales. Todo ello, unido a la cotización internacional del mercurio en dicho periodo, nos permite conocer la evolución y modernización del establecimiento minero de Almadén entre 1939 y 1960.Este artículo pretende contribuir así al conocimiento de esta época tan poco estudiada en la historia de Almadén, ya que la mayor parte de las investigaciones llevadas a cabo en los últimos años conciernen a la Edad Moderna. Además, el estudio del caso de Almadén contribuirá sin duda al conocimiento de la política industrial y minera en la España en el siglo XX.

Between the Imagined and the Reality: Threat of African Invasion and Spain's Migration Policy in sub-Saharan Africa

The paper examines Spain's migration policy aimed at controlling sub-Saharan African immigration. It is based on analysis of policy documents, migration statistics and secondary literature. The paper shows that current migratory trends and statistics do not support the perception that sub-Saharan African migrants are invading Spain. The paper shows that Spain's policy of walling itself off the African continent is borne out of an imaginary threat and Spain's role as a gatekeeper for Western Europe's southern borders. It further argues that Spain's restrictive policies ignore the long-standing interdependent trade and other economic networks that exist between Spain, North Africa and West Africa, which predate the European colonization of Africa.

Aproximaciones a la exclusión social: el otro lado del "milagro" español en Barrio de Fernando León y 7 Vírgenes de Alberto Rodríguez

In this article, I analyze two movies as fictional accounts of social exclusion in Spain during the late 90s and the early 2000s—a period that is widely associated with prosperity and well-being. The two movies are Barrio (1998) by Fernando León and 7 Vírgenes (2005) by Alberto Rodríguez. I argue that these movies problematize and question the so-called "Spanish miracle"—the utopian image of Spain that dominated cultural and political discourses in the pre-crisis era—by exposing a social world inhabited by excluded and marginalized subjects. In order to contextualize these two movies, the article begins with a brief discussion on the social and economic paradoxes hidden behind the discursive façade of Spain's prosperity. Next, I explore the film's protagonists in light of Zygmunt Bauman's notion of disposable lives, and trace their individual experiences within the consumer society that flourished following the expansion of neoliberal policies in Spain. Given this context, I consider the disposability of those (male) characters in relation to other forms of exclusion (bare life), and examine their relation to the affluent middle classes represented in the two movies. Finally, I seek to address the broader implications of these issues by rethinking the dynamics depicted in these two movies in connection with the 80s and the era of economic crisis inaugurated in 2008.

ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТЬ И СТРУКТУРА КЛЮЧЕВЫХ МИНИСТЕРСТВ КОРОЛЕВСТВА ИСПАНИИ ПО БОРЬБЕ С РАСИЗМОМ, КСЕНОФОБИЕЙ И ДРУГИМИ ВИДАМИ ДИСКРИМИНАЦИИ

The article focuses on the study the structural and functional characteristics of three departments: the Ministry of Labor, Migration and Social Security; the Ministry of Internal Affairs; and the Ministry of the Presidency for Relations with Courts and Equality Issues, because these ministries directly control and regulate activities in the field of combating discrimination and intolerance. The aim of the article is to study the structure and various aspects of cooperation between these ministries, with particular attention to the implementation of special programs to combat various types of discrimination. The article was prepared using original sources, such as official electronic resources of the key ministries and institutions, regulatory documents, draft programs on combating discrimination and intolerance, agreements between Spain and international organizations. The plans and reports of the police, which reflect the main measures taken to combat racism and xenophobia, were analyzed. The study is based on an institutional approach, which allows carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the activities of Spanish public institutions and organizations in the field of combating discrimination and intolerance at the state, autonomous and city levels. The study employed the general scientific methods of analysis to highlight the key areas of activity of the ministries and to study them comprehensively, comparison to identify the general and specific functions of each of the organs, and generalization to identify the most common directions of anti-discrimination policy in Spain. In the course of the study, the authors develop the thesis that discrimination is a multidimensional phenomenon, the consequences of which affect not only individuals or groups, suffering from discrimination, but also, indirectly, society and the sociopolitical climate in general. Anti-discrimination measures are obligatory for the implementation of a comprehensive public policy, but, despite the presence of common functionality, the key ministries involved in this area have their own specifics. As a result of the study, the authors come to the conclusion that Spain has an extensive network of institutions and organizations dealing with the prevention and fight against various types of intolerance and discrimination. This network operates based not only on the local legislative basis, but also on international treaties and agreements with international organizations. The well-developed institutional structure and the introduction of new specialized organizations increase the effectiveness of government’s measures. The large number of projects to combat racism and xenophobia, which annually receive funding from the state and the EU, indicate that this area is receiving very close attention.

Gendered Carceral Logics in Social Work: The Blurred Boundaries in Gender Equality Policies for Imprisoned and Battered Women in Spain

This article uses feminist critical analysis as a conceptual framework in order to reflect upon the carceral drifts adopted by gender equality policies in Spain. This issue has been deeply analyzed in the American context, and we believe it is relevant to bring the experiences of other contexts into discussion, such the Spanish one, where the welfare state has been affected by the 2008 global financial crisis. With the aim of adding to the discussion and making a contribution from feminisms and social work perspectives, this work carries out a comparative analysis on carceral policies addressed to women, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, on protection policies for women victims of gender-based violence. Based on our fieldwork in Andalucia (Spain) for more than 10 years, as well as on legal and programmatical text analysis, we question the alleged control/protection separation, highlighting the existence of gendered carceral logics in both contexts. We highlight the social control to which women are subject and for which subjects women to the image of a “good victim” on the one hand and a “good mother” on the other.

Evaluating the Quality of Urban Development Plans Promoted by the European Union: The URBAN and URBANA Initiatives in Spain (1994–2013)

Since the 1990s, the European Union has launched different programs to promote urban development plans. Implementation and outcomes evaluations have resulted in a “European urban acquis” concerning the importance of comprehensiveness, collaborative governance, and participation to promote “good plans.” However, the evaluation of the quality of local plans, has received less attention. This article analyses quality of local plans developed under the framework of European Policies in Spain applying the plan quality evaluation approach, as well as factors explaining quality levels of these local plans. A scale to measure plan quality is proposed based on five main dimensions (fact base, objectives, policy actions, plan governance, evaluation). 64 local plans are analyzed applying content analysis. RgW and AD tests are used to measure codification reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is used to assess the validity of plan quality scale. Lineal regression is applied to analyze the impact of different aspects of planning process included in the ‘European urban acquis’ on plan quality. Main results show that CFA validates the scale proposed to measure local plan quality as a second-order factor; and point out objectives and policy actions as the most important first-order factors. Public participation during planning process, and more comprehensive plan across different policy areas, are the main factors explaining ‘good plans’. Therefore, the importance of the ‘European urban acquis,’ is confirmed in order to produce ‘good’ urban development plans; and the article provides a validated scale to evaluate the quality of urban development plans, and their main dimensions.

Epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection in a country with universal access to direct-acting antiviral agents: Data for designing a cost-effective elimination policy in Spain.

Accurate HCV prevalence estimates are necessary for guiding elimination policies. Our aim was to determine the HCV prevalence and assess the cost-effectiveness of a screen-and-treat strategy in the Spanish population. A population-based, cross-sectional study (PREVHEP-ETHON Cohort, Epidemiological sTudy of Hepatic infectiONs; NCT02749864) was performed from July 2015-April 2017. Participants from three Spanish regions were selected using two-stage conglomerate sampling, and stratified by age, with randomized subject selection. Anthropometric and demographic data were collected, and blood samples were taken to detect anti-HCV antibodies/quantify HCV RNA. The cost-effectiveness of the screening strategies and treatment were analysed using a Markov model. Among 12246 participants aged 20-74 (58.4% females), the overall anti-HCV prevalence was 1.2% (95% CI 1.0-1.4), whereas the detectable HCV-RNA prevalence was 0.3% (0.2-0.4). Infection rates were highest in subjects aged 50-74years [anti-HCV 1.6% (1.3-1.9), HCV RNA 0.4% (0.3-0.6]. Among the 147 anti-HCV+subjects, 38 (25.9%) had active infections while 109 (74.1%) had been cleared of infection; 44 (40.4%) had cleared after antiviral treatment, whereas 65 (59.6%) had cleared spontaneously. Overall, 59.8% of the anti-HCV+participants were aware of their serological status. Considering a cost of treatment of €7000/patient, implementing screening programmes is cost-effective across all age cohorts, particularly in patients aged 50-54 (negative incremental cost-effectiveness ratio which indicates a cost-saving strategy). The current HCV burden is lower than previously estimated, with approximately 25% of anti-HCV+individuals having an active infection. A strategy of screening and treatment at current treatment prices in Spain is cost-effective across all age cohorts.

Youth in the context of chronic unemployment in Spain and Brazil

ABSTRACT The article argues that chronic unemployment has become the main context of youth policies in Spain and Brazil. Our point is that the current structural crisis of the capitalist system eventually provokes chronic unemployment. To be precise, both business and international organisations have endorsed structural adjustments and austerity policies that have destroyed productive forces through expropriation and exploitation in many countries, thus expanding chronic unemployment despite youth policies claiming otherwise. In Spain, two public policies try to circumvent the adverse situation of many youth, namely: the Quality of Education Act (LOMCE) and the Youth Guarantee Scheme. Brazil follows the same logic of these policies through initiatives such as the High School reform and Projovem program. However, in both countries the structural crisis threatens the future of young generations despite these fashionable policies exclusively targeted to them.

The Long-term Relationship Between International Labour Migration and Unemployment in Spain

This paper analyzes the relationship between the international immigration rates and the unemployment rate in Spain for the period 1981–2016. During this period, immigration and employment grew rapidly, but in 2008, the Spanish economy collapsed with a significant increase in unemployment. This paper shows that, due to the characteristics of the migration policy in Spain, unemployment and immigration are cointegrated and, in addition, immigration causes unemployment. This causal relationship is positive, in the sense that the greater the immigration, the greater the unemployment. Last but not least, we find a positive long-term relation between immigration flows and GDP per capita growth.

Evaluación económica de la inclusión en el calendario vacunal de 4CMenB (Bexsero®) en España

IntroductionBexsero® (4CMenB), meningococcal B vaccine, was licensed in Europe in 2013. In Spain, despite MenB being the most frequent cause of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), Bexsero® is recommended and financed for patients at increased risk of IMD but is not financed by the NHS in the routine vaccination schedule. Objectiveto evaluate the cost-utility, epidemiological impact, and total costs of the introduction of 4CMenB into the vaccination schedule to help inform vaccine policy in Spain. MethodWe adapted a cost-utility analysis, a probabilistic decision-tree, to Spain. A cohort of new-born infants in 2015 was modelled with two dosages, using two different strategies: routine vaccination schedule with 4CMenB and non-vaccination. Costs were measured from a payer perspective and benefits were calculated in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). A Monte Carlo analysis and 32 scenarios were performed to assess the robustness and the uncertainty of our results. ResultsWith the 3+1 dosage, routine vaccination prevented 54% of cases and deaths and an incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) of 351.389 €/QALY (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 265,193-538,428) was estimated. The 2+1 dosage prevented 50% of cases and deaths, with an ICUR of 278.556 €/QALY (95%CI: 210,285-430,122). ConclusionsGiven the current incidence of invasive meningococcal disease in Spain and the information available from 4CMenB, our model shows that routine vaccination is not cost-effective at the current price. Only with a vaccine price of 1.45 € for the 3+1 schedule or 3.37 € for the 2+1 schedule could it be recommended based on efficiency criteria.

Administrative and organizational mechanisms for regulating the integration of migrants in Spain

The article analyzes different approaches to the policy of integration of migrants in Spain. The purpose of the article is: to show the experience of integration policy and intercultural dialogue in Spain and to determine the most effective methods for application in the Russian migration policy.The phenomenon of socio-cultural integration of immigrants and intercultural interaction through theoretical and methodological developments of domestic and foreign experts has been considered. Distinctions between the concepts of “adaptation of migrants” and “integration of migrants” have been made. Integration involves the next stage of inclusion after adaptation in the host community. A list of criteria for assessing the processes of integration of immigrants into the host society has been formed, three main groups of criteria have been defined: socio-economic, political, legal and socio-cultural. During the analysis, the author comes to conclusion, that the key direction of the policy of integration of migrants into the host community in Spain is economic integration, which implies the inclusion of migrants in labor relations and is supported by state structures as much as possible.The main directions and effectiveness of the integration policy of Spain have been analyzed. It has been concluded, that the effectiveness depends on the existence of a holistic system of interaction between the Central government, regional and municipal authorities and non-governmental organizations, which greatly simplifies the process of integration of migrants into Spanish society. The article widely uses the results of practical studies of the integration experience of Spain, official reports of the EU supranational bodies on the migration situation in this country, reports on the implementation of specific integration initiatives, as well as the analysis of expert assessments on this issue. The article analyzes the most effective methods of integration of the government of Spain and Spanish public organizations, based on which practical recommendations for Russia are proposed, taking into account the specifics of migration processes.

Cross-sectoral implications of the implementation of irrigation water use efficiency policies in Spain: A nexus footprint approach

Abstract One technical solution often suggested for alleviating water scarcity is to increase the efficiency of irrigation water use. In Spain, several plans have been launched since 2000 to upgrade irrigation infrastructures and thereby achieve water savings equivalent to 2500 hm3/year and promote rural development. The present study uses a footprint approach to evaluate the impacts on land, water, energy, and carbon emissions of the implementation of irrigation modernization policies in agriculture in Spain between 2005 and 2011. The results show that during the period studied, the irrigated area remained stable (+0.3%), although there was a shift in crop patterns, with low-value non-permanent crops being replaced by high-value permanent crops. The water demand for irrigation decreased by 21%; half of this is explained by the shift in crop patterns and the reduction of the consumptive fraction (i.e., blue water footprint), and the other half by the cutback of return flows associated with the higher efficiency of the irrigation infrastructure. Changes in water demand have been accompanied by a progressive substitution of surface water for groundwater. Reduced water demand for irrigation has brought a reduction of 13% in water’s energy footprint and 25% in its carbon footprint. In relative terms, water efficiency (m3 consumed/m3 irrigated) has increased by 8%, although this has also increased the energy intensity (kWh/m3) to 9%. The emission rate (kgCO2 equiv/m3 irrigated) has decreased by 12% as a result of the drop in the emission factor of electricity production. Overall, irrigation modernization policies in Spain have supported the transition from an irrigation sector that is less technified and heavily dependent on surface water into one that is more productive and groundwater-based. From a resource-use perspective, such transition has contributed to stabilizing or even decreasing the irrigated land, and surpass the annual water savings target of 2500 hm3, although it has also made the sector more energy-dependent. Despite the overall positive outcomes, the observed water savings are masked by various synergistic factors, including favorable climatological conditions toward the end of the study period, which contributed strongly to curbing overall irrigation water demand. In the light of the higher frequency of observed droughts in Spain, the investments done so far do not guarantee that the planned water saving targets can be sustained if not complemented with additional measures like restricting irrigated area and/or setting caps for water intensive crops.

An empirical characterization of high-risk drivers in Spain. The role of gender, age, marital status and education

Traffic accidents are both a major economic and public health problem worldwide. We use data from the May 2016 Spanish barometer (n = 1632) to analyse the characteristics of drivers who declare different types of risky driving behaviours. Our estimates suggest that the likelihood of being a high-risk driver in Spain increases with educational attainment and decreases with age. Moreover, it is higher for those with previous sanctions and for men, particularly so regarding speeding and driving after drinking alcohol. These results suggest that prevention policies in Spain should be targeted to different collectives of drivers depending on the particular risky behaviour considered.

A Valorative Approximation on the Legislative Policies in Spain to the Reality of Girls and Children Disconforms with the Assigned Gender

The trans phenomenon is part of the Spanish social life, its diffusion and its treatment by different media becoming more and more explicit. The publication of news, emission of debate programs, documentaries, books and articles of opinion or study, in which the situation of trans people is addressed, is not sporadic. The social, political and cultural transformations that have taken place during the process of establishing and consolidating a parliamentary democracy in our country have contributed to this. In this context, the greater presence and prominence of girls and boys who are dissatisfied with their assigned gender has generated an acceptance on the part of their families, constituting associations to defend the rights of their daughters and sons. For this the requirement of legislative policies that contemplate the agreements of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and its legislative application in the Spanish territory, will be the basis to promote legislative initiatives in the various autonomous communities that exceed the established in the law 3/2007 regarding the trans question. These autonomous laws have been approved and are valued from family associations in an unequal manner, while still claiming a law of state implementation. This, together with their daily work, will be what will shape the analysis of this text.

Towards equal sharing of care? Judicial implementation of EU equal employment and work–life balance policies in Spain

ABSTRACTDiscursive factors have not figured prominently in implementation research. This article fills this gap by addressing the material and discursive conflicts articulated around equality at workplace between women and men in multilevel judicial contexts. It studies obstacles to and opportunities for the judicial implementation of EU equal employment policies in Spain by analyzing two cases of parental rights to childcare litigated before Spanish and supranational courts, namely the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights. The claimants are working parents who litigate for the recognition of their right to provide childcare. In judicial implementation multiple meanings about women, gender and intersectionality can be articulated and counteracted at different levels. Frame analysis of selected judicial documents and content analysis of legal proceedings and interviews show that simultaneous favorable institutions, framing, and actors are needed for implementing EU equal employment policies in a way that allows overcoming the gendered division of care and paid work. Distinguishing among ‘women’, ‘gender’ and ‘intersectionality’ approaches, we assess the extent to which the result of judicial implementation is the transformation of gender roles towards equal sharing of care.

Социальная политика в Испании в 1940-е гг.

Социальная политика в Испании в 1940-е гг.

Transnational integration in Europe and the reinvention of industrial policy in Spain

At the turn of the century, writings on globalization were rife with worry that transnational integration will strip states of the ability to direct industrial development. More recent literature suggests that industrial policy is alive and well, if thoroughly reshaped by the changes in the organisation as well as regulation of the economy. This paper contributes to this burgeoning body of research by examining the transformation of industrial policy toward automotive industry in Spain from the start of its integration into the European Economic Community in the 1970s until today. It argues, first, that the claims about globalization restricting the ‘policy space’ of individual states tend to understate the extent to which policy decisions of developing countries had always been restricted by the international environment. Second, it shows how transnational integration not only takes away certain tools but also helps development of others. To make use of them, however, countries have to restructure their systems of industrial governance to make space for a more regionalized, collaborative, and competence-based instead of firm-based policy.

Los agentes en la transformación de los servicios sociales

El autor, inserto como consultor independiente en el sector económico y la política pública de los servicios sociales en España y en contacto con los procesos y productos de diversos agentes de las redes de práctica y de conocimiento implicados o interesados en dicho ámbito de actividad profesional y vida social, intenta capturar cualitativamente y analizar críticamente el momento de transformación en el que se encontrarían los servicios sociales en España, en su dinámica sectorial e intersectorial, para explorar las tendencias y oportunidades de innovación tecnológica y social y, en el marco de éstas, el papel y la articulación posibles y preferibles, desde su punto de vista, de los diferentes agentes públicos, del tercer sector y privados. Se proponen, finalmente, unos servicios sociales personalizados, preventivos, comunitarios, integrados, ecológicos, interdisciplinares, basados en el conocimiento y garantizados como derecho universal por unos poderes públicos proactivos e inteligentes que reconocen el papel histórico y el valor añadido de la iniciativa social en el sector y saben regular e incorporar el papel de las empresas mercantiles que contribuyan a la sostenibilidad económica, social y ambiental en el territorio.

Abolishing politics in the shadow of austerity? Assessing the (De)politicization of budgetary policy in crisis-ridden Spain (2008–2015)

ABSTRACT Depoliticization has emerged as a key concept for explaining the legitimation of austerity during the euro crisis: in the face of growing social unrest over their austerity-based crisis management, EU and national policy elites would attempt to remove the political character of economic policy-making, thus insulating budgetary issues from public deliberation and party competition. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to the actual success of depoliticizing strategies in effectively achieving these aims. By setting up a dialogue between two research programmes on (de)politicization that have developed so far in isolation, the article articulates a new framework for studying the impacts of depoliticization. Empirically, the analysis focuses on the process of discursive depoliticization of budgetary policy in Spain in the context of the austerity-oriented budgetary reforms implemented between 2010 and 2013. Methodologically, this process of (contested) discursive depoliticization is examined by developing a relational content analysis of the parties’ electoral manifestos and newspapers’ opinion articles on budgetary policy that were published in the three electoral campaigns held in Spain before, during and after the euro crisis. The analysis shows that the EU-led depoliticization of budgetary policy encountered important political limits in Spain, in fact paradoxically promoting a re-politicizing backlash.

Smoking Prevalence Inequalities Among Roma and Non-Roma Population in Spain Between 2006 and 2014.

Tobacco consumption is unequally distributed in society. The objective was to identify trends in tobacco use among the General and Spanish Roma populations in 2006 and 2014, years characterized by strengthening of anti-smoking policy in Spain. We calculated prevalences and logistical regression models based on the Spanish National Health Survey (2006/2012) and the National Health Survey of the Roma population (2006/2014). Smoking decreased only in men in the General population (OR 0.885). In the Roma population, there were no significant changes observed for the 2years studied (OR: men 1.095, and women 1.147). In fact, Roma men smoke 4.2 cigarettes more, and they have a younger age of initial tobacco use. Smoking behavior of the Roma population has not changed, and there has been no reduction in inequalities in tobacco use among the two populations, despite public policies designed to reduce tobacco use in Spain.