Relations In Spain Research Articles

Navigating Care in the Assemblage of (im)Mobilities: Social Protection Strategies Among Latin American Transnational Families in the Post‐Pandemic Period

ABSTRACTThis article analyses the social protection strategies that Latin American transnational families have deployed to cope with the new regime of (im)mobilities that emerged after the COVID‐19 crisis. It reflects on how the pandemic has restructured the articulation of the family welfare model and the migration regime in Spain. From a theoretical point of view, it combines the analysis of family strategies of “transnational social protection” with the approach of spatial and social (im)mobilities. The article also includes a multilevel analysis (macro, meso, micro) of the connections between care and migration. A mixed methodology was used: (1) the exploitation of secondary sources to show the impact of the Covid‐19 crisis on Latin American immigrant families in Spain; and (2) an analysis of ethnographic material consisting of in‐depth interviews (n = 41) with transnational families (n = 13) whose members reside both in Spain (n = 27) and their countries of origin (n = 14). The results show that after the COVID‐19 crisis, an “assemblage of spatial and social (in)mobilities” was generated for the immigrant population. They highlight the social blockages that the immigrant population had to face: legal, residential, occupational, and care, and also how informal arrangements to solve these immobilities are led by women. Families who were further along in the migration cycle or who had social capital (relatives in Spain) were less affected by the impact of the crisis.

COVID-19 and territorial politics: towards a redefinition of Spanish intergovernmental relations?

ABSTRACT When COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) struck Spain, it caused a multidimensional crisis that sparked countless debates on its health, social and political implications. Drawing on the literature on multilevel crisis management and federalism, this paper focuses on the impact of the pandemic on the Spanish intergovernmental relations between 2020 and 2022. This research demonstrates that several intergovernmental coordination and cooperation mechanisms were activated or reactivated at the political and technical levels. This change improved joint decision-making and strengthened the system’s own capacity to cope with future crises. In particular, this article shows how and to what extent the health crisis broke down the existing logic of discretionary collaboration and increased coherence among regional governments by strengthening the role of central ministries. Three movements have been observed and measured consisting in a growing institutionalisation, coordination and cross-sectoral logic of action. Consequently, we conclude that intergovernmental relations in Spain have been strengthened by the pandemic under the leadership of central ministries. The Spanish intergovernmental system has demonstrated its capacity to adapt to external shocks and its learning ability.

Bibliometric Analysis of Spanish Doctoral theses on Public Relations (2006-2021)

Objective: The aim of this article is to conduct a comprehensive and detailed analysis of doctoral theses in the field of public relations carried out at public universities in Spain between 2006 and 2021. This analysis seeks to identify and understand the main dimensions researched, the thematic and methodological evolution, and the contribution of these studies to both the professional practice and theoretical framework of public relations. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework is built upon the historical evolution of public relations in both the academic and professional spheres. It acknowledges changes in social demands for greater effectiveness and rigor in research outcomes in this field. Previous studies documenting the transition in methods and approaches used in public relations will be reviewed, emphasizing those that have marked milestones in the integration of theory and practice. Additionally, prevailing theoretical models and how they have been challenged and expanded by recent research will be analyzed. Method: The study employs an exploratory and descriptive methodological design. Content analysis was used to dissect and categorize information systematically for analyzing the doctoral theses. Theses were selected through a purposive sampling of documents available in Spanish academic databases, ensuring that these studies encompass various dimensions and approaches within the field of public relations. Variables such as thematic focus, methodologies employed, and the theoretical and practical contributions of each thesis were assessed. Results and Discussion: This bibliometric study reveals a predominance of doctoral theses in public relations in Spain focused on practical applications, demonstrating a primarily instrumental view of the discipline as a marketing tool. There is a marked imbalance towards applied research, with limited interest in theoretical development, suggesting a lack of exploration of public relations as a strategic and executive function. The scarcity of works that integrate public relations into global marketing strategies and their operational focus highlight an opportunity to expand its strategic role. These findings indicate the need to strengthen theoretical and strategic research in the field, which could enrich both the practice and teaching of public relations, strengthening its position as an essential discipline in organizational management. Originality/Value: This article contributes originality to the field of public relations by providing one of the first exhaustive systematizations of doctoral theses in this area in Spain. The review covers a significant fifteen-year period, allowing for observation of trends and changes in academic research in public relations. The value of this study lies in its ability to identify how demands for rigor and empirical relevance have shaped academic research, thus contributing to a better understanding of the field's evolution and offering a solid foundation for future research aimed at effectively integrating theory and practice.

Horizontal cooperation and financial relations in Spain: An analysis on how the Autonomous Communities set the agenda for the reform of territorial financing

El sistema de financiación autonómica aprobado en 2009 debía renovarse en 2014. Sin embargo, el Gobierno central y las comunidades autónomas han sido incapaces de forjar un acuerdo que dé lugar a un nuevo sistema. La inestabilidad política con cuatro elecciones en menos de cinco años, la crisis en Cataluña y la pandemia han dificultado un proceso ya de por sí complejo. Este estudio pretende investigar cómo las diferentes comunidades autónomas han tratado de marcar la agenda antes de entablar negociaciones con el Gobierno central en el Consejo de Política Fiscal y Financiera (CPFF) para discutir un nuevo acuerdo. Para ello, se examinan las diferentes posiciones mantenidas por las CC. AA, prestando atención a cómo estas se han agrupado, independientemente de su adscripción política. La solución de establecer varios frentes comunes entre CC. AA. con las mismas necesidades/objetivos constituye una novedad en la política española que merece ser explorada. Así, el estudio analiza el papel desempeñado por la cooperación horizontal en el proceso de fijación de la agenda antes del inicio de las negociaciones formales sobre un nuevo sistema en el CPFF, con el objetivo de determinar su utilidad y eficacia para influir en el gobierno central en la mesa de negociación.

Migration and psychosis: the link between them

IntroductionMigrations are a source of stress for patients, which can have repercussions on their Mental Health. We present the case of a native Senegalese patient who presented a first psychotic episode.ObjectivesPresentation of a clinical case of an immigrant patient with a psychotic disorder.MethodsBibliographic review on migration and psychosis by searching for articles in Pubmed.ResultsWe present the case of a patient of 20 years, a native of Senegal, who has been living in Spain for 3 months in a shelter home. He has no family or relations in Spain, and only speaks Wolof, presenting serious difficulties in communication with healthcare workers. He came to Hospital with his social worker because strange behaviors had been observed. He presented delusional ideation of self-referential and mystical-religious content, related to “the prophet” and “the need to fulfill a mission”. He also presented auditory hallucinations that he identified as of divine origin, and ordered him to perform behaviors such as picking hairs from the ground and various rituals. He acknowledges cannabis and alcohol use in the previous days. Paliperidone treatment was started. Throughout the admission, he begins to show concern for the state of his relatives in Senegal and the need to send them money.ConclusionsMultiple studies indicate that migrants are at higher risk of psychosis, specially those from countries where the majority of population was black, according to some series. The challenge lies in understanding the mechanisms underlying this increased incidence, taking into account psychosocial factors such as social isolation and trauma.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Spanish Far-Right Party “Vox”: Its Role in Shaping of the EU Regional Agenda

The “Vox” party has turned into an influential actor of the European politics due to its electoral success; institutional and ideological adaptation to the country’s changing party landscape; attempts to create its own institutional, organizational, informational, and creative resources; as well as its policy of forming strong alliances with European and American rightwing conservative forces. Based on the spatial approach (categories of political space and political identity) and discourse-analysis, the author tries to comprehend the policy guidelines of “Vox”; determines the place of the party in the political system and the media sphere of Spain; defines the role that “Vox” plays in shaping the regional agenda of the EU. The study focuses on the political and institutional aspects of how “Vox” strengthens its relations with similar EU parties based on partisan and ideological identity, designing alternative projects of European integration, and establishing a new, ideologized format for the relations of Spain (and more broadly - the EU) and the Ibero-American countries. The author concludes about the structuring and the formal institutionalization of communications and political interactions between the far-right political elites which carries risks for the EU’s efforts to create a macropolitical identity and the metanarrative of memory, therefore, potentially leading to political divisions in the EU.

Welcoming Wolves? Governing the Return of Large Carnivores in Traditional Pastoral Landscapes

Wolf populations are recovering across Europe and readily recolonize most areas where humans allow their presence. Reintegrating wolves in human-dominated landscapes is a major challenge, particularly in places where memories and experience of coexistence have been lost. Despite the observed expansion trends, little has been done to prepare communities for the return of these apex predators, or to understand what fosters and perpetuates coexistence. In this study, we present a theoretical framework for resilient coexistence based on four conditions: Effective institutions, large carnivore persistence, social legitimacy, and low levels of risk and vulnerability, nested within the social-ecological systems (SES) concept. To empirically show how the conditions can be manifested and interconnected, and how this knowledge could be used to improve local coexistence capacities, the framework is applied in a case study of human–wolf relations in Spain. We examined three traditionally pastoral landscapes at different states of cohabitation with wolves: uninterrupted presence, recent recolonization, and imminent return. We found that both the perceptions of wolves and the capacity to coexist with them diverged across these states, and that this was largely determined by a diversity of vulnerabilities that have not been recognized or addressed within current management regimes, such as economic precarity and weak legitimacy for governing institutions. Our results illustrate the importance of working in close contact with communities to understand local needs and enhance adaptive capacities in the face of rural transitions, beyond those directly related to wolves. The framework complements emerging tools for coexistence developed by researchers and practitioners, which offer guidance on the process of situational analysis, planning, and resource allocation needed to balance large carnivore conservation with local livelihoods.

Испания на переходе к стрессоустойчивой модели роста

The authors analyze the most significant changes taking place in the socio-economic sphere and in the field of international relations of Spain under the influence of recent crisis shocks. The focus is on the complex and contradictory process of forming a resilient (stress-resistant) growth model, which should determine the main vector of development of the Spanish state for the period up to 2050. For the first time in the national scientific literature the key components of the new model are comprehensively studied, and a predictive assessment of the areas of structural changes in the economy, social sphere and international policy of Spain is given. A special place is reserved for consideration of the current state and prospects of Russian-Spanish trade and economic relations. The article shows that the Spanish state, after several decades of progressive development, is in a state of escape from the maze of crisis shocks and another transitional period associated with the need for deep socio-economic transformations. In fact, we are talking about the formation of a new model of growth: instead of the paradigm of development established at the end of the last century, which rested on three “whales”: construction and trade of real estate, accepting international tourism and priority trade and investment cooperation with partners in the European Union. In the face of largely unprecedented internal and external challenges, the Spanish State must adopt a new macroeconomic policy that takes into account the tectonic changes that have taken place (and continue to occur) in the modern world. The future of Spain and its place on the geoeconomic map depend on how the political leadership of the country, business and society as a whole will make a major transformation. Spanish socio-economic realities, interesting and significant as themselves, have an international sound and significance, as they closely correlate with the problems of a long number of countries in the world (including Russia, the states of southeastern Europe and Latin America) facing a similar challenge – the need to change the growth model. It is not so important whether their ruling circles are focused or not on this issue now, the need exists objectively and makes itself felt more and more every day.

Relaciones Públicas y asociacionismo académico en España: AIRP, la Asociación de Investigadores en Relaciones Públicas

Associationism, a habitual professional and academic practice in all fields, present in Spain various peculiarities in the case of Public Relations, suffering from a lack of recognition and identification as an independent discipline since its inception. In the professional field, this leads to the appearance of multiple associations that, with different names and many times obviating the words Public Relations, bring together professionals in the sector, but in the field of university research and teaching there is no such associative tradition. In order to fill this gap, AIRP, the Association of Researchers in Public Relations of Spain, was founded in 2004. 16 years after its creation, this article analyzes the meaning and usefulness of said association, both at the beginning and at present, and takes stock of the evolution of Public Relations in Spain throughout this decade and a half, in the professional field and, above all, the academic one. A methodology based on a semi-structured interview with three of the four AIRP founding professors and a content analysis of various documents, such as the census and the entity's web portal, is proposed for this. Among the results obtained, the academic impulse that the networking and associative work of the majority of Spanish researchers in the field has entailed for Public Relations, who before the existence of AIRP worked independently; a boost that translates into greater scientific recognition of the profession and a notable improvement in the indicators of scientific production associated with it, with the consequent greater presence of the discipline in the study plans and the promotion of specialized teachers. Therefore, the importance of associationism is also corroborated in the academic, non-professional sphere, especially in the case of disciplines, such as Public Relations in Spain, which needed an important work of dignity. A process to which the high level of Spanish PR researchers undoubtedly contributes, which has allowed many of them access to full professor and even professorial positions, something unthinkable a few years ago. In relation to the eternal debate on the correct translation into Spanish of the term Public Relations, the researchers are committed to maintaining the name Relaciones Públicas which, although in the professional field is elusive, in the academic field it remains, even in the name of the Degree study. Finally, in relation to the history and evolution of AIRP, the entity has notably increased the number of partners since its foundation, counting on a presence in the majority of universities that offer Advertising and Public Relations studies. This expansion, which will continue to be promoted, must be compatible, however, with its vocation as a specialized entity, absolutely focused on the study of Public Relations. The entity's most immediate challenge is the preparation of the White Paper on the Scope of Public Relations, a guide for the preparation of study plans on the subject.

Bottom-up Geopolitics and Everyday Brexits at the Gibraltar-Spain Border

ABSTRACT Brexit has opened doors for renewed attention to contested, multi-scalar geopolitical forces grounded in everyday life in borderlands. In this paper, we aim to unravel ‘everyday Brexits’ in the Gibraltar–La Línea (Spain) borderlands. By studying the 2019 commemoration of the historic 1969 border closure, we concentrate on how local borderwork by residents is mobilised for bottom-up geopolitics in the context of Brexit negotiations. We use a conceptual approach that focuses on multiple layerings of the border and the selectivity of stakeholders to select among these layers to pursue their interests. Based on on-site observations, in-depth interviews, and informal conversations with residents and key actors of La Línea and Gibraltar, we argue that Brexit has increased the tension of already loaded core-periphery relations in Spain. Brexit does not represent a sudden disruption. Rather, we show how Brexit allowed the bottom-up geopolitical mobilisation of latent, strongly historically embedded and continuous cross-borders sentiments of residents. This mobilisation could potentially challenge local cross-border power relations. In the final analysis, we conclude that the bottom-up geopolitics of ‘ordinary’ residents through everyday bordering processes is central to geopolitics research, including with regard to Brexit and in particular for non-British geographies affected by Brexit.

Data protection in the field of labor relations in Spain

This study aims to analyze the impact on industrial relations of the recognition of the right to personal data protection, in the light of European and Spanish legislation. It makes especially an attempt to mark the differences between the right to privacy and the most restricted of the intimate sphere. Likewise, it tries to highlight the main challenges and singularities of the protection of the sphere of the private with respect to the worker: it possible extension to self-employed worker, the indirect limitations derived from the recognition of the right to the protection of personal data of the employer, the limited space of labour consent and the requirement in this matter of employer control powers.

Evolución de las Relaciones Públicas en España. Artículo de revisión

The first milestones of the history of Public Relations in Spain are listed in order to understand its evolution and current essence and definition. We analyzed the persuasive communication techniques historically used that could already be branded as such (advertising, propaganda, protocol, publicity ...) when the current concept of Public Relations was still lacking. This article presents a conception of Public Relations based on its most persuasive purpose: that of directing Public Opinion. We do not forget the other great current that focuses on the necessary generation of sympathy and understanding between the issuer and the receiving public. Thus, Public Relations are the union of various elements that make up its conceptual and scientific base: Marketing, Prospective, Advertising, Propaganda, Publicity, Sponsorship, Patronage, Corporate Communication, Internal Communication, Public Affairs, Protocol and Lobbying. There are two great influences in the gestation of Public Relations: Advertising (called scientific, educational, social, prestigious...) and Propaganda (commercial, collective...), so we focus on its founding fathers, the teachers and theorists Pedro Prat Gaballí from Advertising, and Francisco García Ruescas from Propaganda. Finally we will review from the fields of associationism, legislation and academics the great moments for the advancement of Spanish Public Relations, since our purpose is also to create a chronology as complete as possible that serves as the basis for future research.

El grado en relaciones internacionales en España: de su implantación a la consolidación (2009-2019)

Este artículo analiza la (r)evolución de los estudios de grado en relaciones internacionales en España durante su primera década de existencia. Tras resumir las dificultades para su puesta en marcha, que culmina en 2009, presenta el desarrollo de la oferta en términos de disponibilidad de plazas y de universidades, con especial atención a la titularidad y dispersión geográfica. Debate, asimismo, rasgos particulares como son las elevadas notas de corte y su característica de título combinable en dobles grados. El enorme éxito, manifestado en la vertiginosa rapidez de su proliferación, deja para la próxima década la labor de consolidación. Este camino pasará necesariamente por agotar márgenes de mejora en la calidad de la enseñanza-aprendizaje y por la construcción de estructuras institucionales, como departamentos o incluso facultades, directa y exclusivamente vinculados a los estudios de grado (y postgrado) en relaciones internacionales.

Los estudios críticos en las relaciones internacionales en España

En este trabajo se aborda el estado de los estudios críticos en la disciplina de relaciones internacionales en España. Después de explicar las especificidades teóricas y razón de ser de su surgimiento en el marco de los debates académicos dentro de la disciplina, se entra con mayor profundidad en la naturaleza y desafíos abordados por estos estudios críticos. A continuación, se presenta un mapa de autores y temáticas para entender la actual agenda de investigación de los estudios críticos circunscrito a la academia española. Se cierra el documento con los desafíos y potencialidades derivados de la eclosión de estos estudios en las universidades españolas.

El liberalismo en la teoría de relaciones internacionales: su presencia en la Escuela Española

El liberalismo, una de las primeras aproximaciones teóricas al estudio de las Relaciones Internacionales tiene, por esa razón, una larga trayectoria a lo largo de la cual se ha subdividido en diferentes aproximaciones.En el caso español resulta interesante constatar cómo son prácticamente inexistentes autores que se reclamen como cultivadores del liberalismo, en buena medida por la evolución del estudio de la disciplina en España, muy diferente de la que se produce en el contexto anglosajón. Sin embargo es innegable la existencia de coincidencias con distintas corrientes liberales tanto en el enfoque como en las cuestiones estudiadas por algunos académicos españoles.Por lo demás, cabe destacar que la Escuela Española de Relaciones Internacionales ha sido en muchas ocasiones pionera tanto en términos metodológicos como en la inclusión de algunas cuestiones en el objeto de estudio de las relaciones internacionales.

The professional skills profile of a public affairs practitioner in Spain

Purpose: The present study identifies the professional skills profile that a Public Affairs (PA) practitioner of a major company or an organization representing the interests of various economic sectors should have in Spain. Design/methodology : The study uses a mixed qualitative and quantitative methodology. The initial identification of the competences, as well as the general functions of the profile to be evaluated, has been carried out using the in-depth interview technique with the directors of APRI (Association of Professionals of Institutional Relations of Spain), who defined these competencies from their expert perspective. Subsequently, through a survey of seventy-two managers, sufficient data were obtained to statistically process the information and obtain significant results in the identification of such competences. This information has been processed, firstly, through factorial analysis, which has made it possible to synthesize these competences. Once the analysis of factors was carried out, a cluster analysis is added for the classification of the respondents or managers. Findings : The perception of the interviewed executives has been determined regarding the functions that an institutional relations practitioner must fulfill. It should be noted that this is a profession for which there is no clarity about the role and the legitimacy of its members, particularly in Spain. In fact, it is associated with a function that is seen as exerting undue pressure on political power. A field study was conducted to determine the opinion of these managers on the competences that a professional in institutional relations should have. Originality/value : This study provides a description of the job position of a person responsible for institutional relations in Spain. Moreover, it adds a typology of managers, according to the competences defined for the person responsible for institutional relations.

The perfect storm? How to explain the rise of intergovernmental conflicts in Spain? (1984–2014)

As in other federal-like countries, intergovernmental relations in Spain are characterised by a series of conflicts between central and regional governments. But, which factors explain this dynamic of contention? This investigation operationalises intergovernmental conflicts through a specific dataset constituted by the volume of contestations between regional and central executives (and vice versa) in Spain before the Constitutional Court. This research demonstrates that from 1984 to 2014 the periods of absolute majority at the Congress and the victory of peripheral nationalist parties at the head of autonomous communities increased the level of intergovernmental contestations.

Industrial relations in Spain – strong conflicts, weak actors and fragmented institutions

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to reconstruct the development of industrial relations (IR) in Spain since the democratic transition and analyses the current dilemmas of its social and political actors in the context of the long-lasting economic downturn.Design/methodology/approachCombining a political economy, identifying Spain as a particular variety of modern capitalism, and actor-centred historical institutionalism approach, outlining the formation and strategies of the main social actors, the paper draws on the broad range of research on IR in Spain and its theoretical debates, including proper research in the field.FindingsThe legacies of the latecomer industrialisation and the semi-peripheral development model still shape the Spanish economy and IR. The impact of the current economic and political-institutional crisis affects the entire institutional IR system and its actors shifting power towards the individual employer thus weakening trade unions, labour rights and collective bargaining. Regarding the theoretical debate on corporatism, the Spanish case provides ambiguous results. The lack of a coherent institutional system and efficient political administration limits the effectiveness of corporatist arrangements and reduces them to contingent concertation strategies. Spain confirms that IR still largely depend on the specific national variety of capitalism that condition economic development and resources for political exchange.Originality/valueThe paper presents an original, theoretical-informed reconstruction of the Spanish IR and allows an understanding of the current institutional transformations and strategic dilemmas in the light of historical legacies. Additionally, the theoretical debates on neo-corporatism and semi-peripheral development are enriched through its application to the Spanish case.

National inventory and prioritization of crop wild relatives in Spain

Crop wild relatives (CWR) have recently received significant attention due to their value as plant genetic resources and their contribution to world food security. We present a prioritized checklist of CWR in Spain in which the criteria of crossability with crops of economic importance, endemicity and threat status have been taken into account. First, we selected a list of genera corresponding to the most relevant crops for Spain and at the international level. These crops were classified into use categories (Food, Forage & Fodder, Ornamental, and Industrial & Other uses) depending on their main use. The wild plant species native to Spain belonging to these genera were then listed. After evaluation by national experts in plant breeding, the resulting checklist contained 929 species. Further selection based on crossability, endemicity and threat status led to the generation of the Prioritized Spanish Checklist of crop wild relatives containing 578 species. Thirty-two percent of these species belong to the Forage & Fodder use category, 28% to the Ornamental category, 24% to the Food category and 16% to the Industrial & Other uses category. Thirty-five percent of the prioritized species are endemic to Spain, and over one-fourth are classified under some category of threat according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Endemicity and threat status rates in the Prioritized Spanish Checklist of CWR were higher than those found in the prioritized CWR inventories of other countries. A ex situ assessment reporting number of accessions showed that 70% of the prioritized Spanish CWR have accessions preserved in genebanks.

A história recente de relações públicas na Espanha

Este artigo apresenta um estudo exploratório sobre o estado da arte das relações públicas na Espanha, com base em indicadores utilizados no estudo conhecido como The global public relations handbook (2009). Isso significa uma abordagem cultural das relações públicas espanholas de hoje. Sob esse ponto de vista mostramos que a Espanha é um país que sofreu uma mudança radical, de uma ditadura para um dos sistemas mais democráticos do mundo, transformando substancialmente o seu sistema econômico, a sua cultura e sua sociedade. Esta transformação teve consequências fundamentais sobre a prática de relações públicas, porque as relações públicas tratam da liberdade de expressão.