Development In Spain Research Articles

Agricultural exports and economic development in Spain during the first wave of globalisation

ABSTRACT The objective of this article is to study the evolution of Spanish agricultural exports, their share of agricultural production as a whole, the determinants of their expansion and, finally, the contribution that they have made to economic development. Our results show considerable dynamism in agricultural exports, which however faced certain obstacles that limited any further expansion. Their share on production varied greatly, but for some relevant products it was fundamental, substantially contributing to its growth. The increase in external demand but also the comparatively high profitability of export products and a high level of competitiveness in the international market generated highly dynamic behaviour in supply. The contribution of the export sector to Spanish economic growth was positive although moderate. It contributed to financing necessary imports during the industrialisation process, favoured a more efficient allocation of resources and produced intersectoral linkages. However, the geographical concentration of production for export limited its spatial impact on the Spanish economy.

Self-rated health inequalities in the intersection of gender, social class and regional development in Spain: exploring contributions of material and psychosocial factors

BackgroundInequalities in health across social class, gender and regional context in Spain are well-known; however, there is a lack of research examining how these dimensions of inequality interact. This study explores self-rated health (SRH) inequalities across intersectional positions of gender, social class and region, and the contribution of material and psychosocial factors to these inequalities.MethodsParticipants were drawn from the cross-sectional 2015 National Living Conditions Survey of Spanish residents aged 19–88 years (N = 27,215; 77% response rate). Eight intersectional positions were formed by combining dichotomous variables of gender, social class and regional development. Poisson regression was used to estimate intersectional inequalities in SRH as prevalence ratios, and the contributions of material and psychosocial factors.ResultsResults showed both cumulative and heterogeneous inequalities within and across intersectional positions. Inequalities in the intersection of social class and regional development were best explained by the joint contributions of material and psychosocial factors, while gender inequalities within non-manual social class were better explained by material factors alone.ConclusionsThe results illustrate the complexity of interacting inequalities in health and their underpinnings in Spain. Local and national policies taking this complexity into account are needed to broadly improve equity in health in Spain.

Current challenges and prospective analysis of the Third Sector of Social Action (TSSA) in Spain

This paper analyses the current conditions and future challenges faced by the Third Sector of Social Action (TSSA) in Spain to consolidate itself as an institutional sphere of sustainable welfare and as a strategic actor in the development of social policies. The empirical basis of this work has been obtained with the use of qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews, focus groups and the mixed method of Delphi. The use of these methods is aimed at interpreting TSSA leaders’ discourses, the collective voice of Non-governmental organisations (NGO) managers and representatives, and the opinions of experts on: the nature and past development of the sector.This research was carried out under the support of the Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2009-2014, in the framework of the Active Citizenship Programme (Eea Grants) and by the PECOTSAS Project of the State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation 2013-2016 of the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (ref CSO2017-85486-P). The text is structured as follows. First, we analyse the institutional nature of the TSSA and how it has combined powerful organisational growth with an adaptation to what we define as the European logic of the Third Sector (TS) in recent decades. Subsequently, we examine the current conditioning factors of the TSSA’s development in Spain including the impact of the 2008 economic crisis, financing capacity, modes of social action and relations with the State and the private sector companies. Finally, we assess the challenges faced by the TSSA in the coming years in terms of financial and institutional sustainability and its capacity to influence public policies. The results have been useful for the elaboration of the III Strategic Plan of the Third Sector of Social Action (2017-2021

History Teaching and Cultural Hegemony

In the 1960s, facing a series of transformations within Spanish society, the Franco regime modified its self-legitimation strategy and with it its portrayal of the Spanish Civil War. Based on the analysis of nine history textbooks for various levels published between 1954 and 1970, this article demonstrates that, by aiming to neutralize increasing demands for democracy, reconciliation and peace, the Franco regime incorporated elements of the corresponding discourses into its own memory discourse. The later the year of publication and the higher the age of the intended readership, the more signs of this process of incorporation appear in the textbooks. Examples of such traces can be found in the terms used to denote the Spanish Civil War, in the textbooks’ characterizations of the two opposing sides, and in their presentation of both the Francoist governmental system and the development of Spain under Francoism.

The effect of university graduates’ international mobility on labour outcomes in Spain

ABSTRACT The Erasmus programme represents one of the most popular policy measures of the European Union among its citizens. The aim of this paper is to explore the causal effect of this mobility action on labour market outcomes and skills’ development in Spain. In order to do so, this research exploits the Spanish University Students Employability Survey 2014 an employs and instrumental variables strategy, based on the supply of Erasmus scholarships by area of studies and region of residence, to address the potential endogeneity of the participation in the programme. On the one hand, the empirical results suggest that studying abroad has a positive effect on the probability of becoming an entrepreneur, working in a foreign country and the formation of Information Communication and Communication skills. On the other hand, they do not reveal any significant impact of participating in this programme on the likelihood of employment and several working conditions.

El estilo neocolonial español en España y su práctica profesional

El artículo aborda la cuestión del desarrollo del neocolonial español, como un estilo arquitectónico, válido para afrontar la modernidad en la primera mitad del siglo XX. Pero se presta especial atención a su aceptación y desarrollo en España, que suele ser un extremo poco estudiado. Se muestra el interés por conseguir una unidad social iberoamericana, incluso proponiendo la existencia de una “quinta raza” cultural, que como una muestra más de unidad, también compartiría ese estilo arquitectónico intercontinental. Es notable la voluntad de los arquitectos comprometidos para lograrlo, que introducían en sus proyectos, repertorios ornamentales de distintos lugares de la comunidad iberoamericana. Se llama especialmente la atención sobre la importancia del desarrollo del estilo, con unas plantas arquitectónicas modernas y procedentes de la arquitectura anglosajona, que nada tenían que ver con la tradición constructiva ibérica y que le otorgaban funcionalidad.

Spain’s party system development trends in the context of the electoral cycle 2019

The topicality of the article is that the party system of Spain is undergoing serious transformations, the positioning of political forces and their ideologies, the organizational structure are changing significantly. National parliamentary elections are held for the fourth time in 4 years, which is unique to the countries of consolidated democracy. Trends in the development of Spain are relevant for cross- national comparisons of party systems. Methods – systems approach, synchronous comparative analysis, a secondary analysis of the results of opinion polls, mapping of party support in the elections. Materials: regulations; statements by party leaders; pre-election programs; results of sociological surveys; statistics on the results of elections. Results: The crisis of the party system in Spain is peculiar to the transition from a bipartisan model to a model of moderate pluralism, increased fragmentation, significant volatility, and the dependence of the main national parties on the support of regional parties. In the electoral cycle of 2019, the party system of Spain is a system of moderate pluralism (5 leading actors) with the growing role of regional parties, pragmatic coalitions are inevitable for creating a government. The economic recovery of 2014–2019 influenced the decline in the influence of “Unidos Podemos”, their electorate partially returned to the PSOE. In European and subnational elections, these trends are even more pronounced due to the format of electoral systems and the isolation of regional party systems. The threefold structure of the Spanish electorate, distributed mainly among left-leaning centers, center-right and regional nationalists, is preserved. An analysis of the statistical results of the elections and questionnaires proves an inversely correlated relationship between the level of support for the PSOE and “Unidos Podemos” in the center-left segment, and the level of support for the People’s Party, “Citizens” and “Vox” in the center-right camp. The influence of parties is extremely uneven across autonomous communities, and unevenness is increasing. The increase in the instability of the party system in Spain is predicted due to the growing influence of new parties and the underdeveloped culture of parliamentary coalitions. This process increases the chances of Catalan nationalists. A radical reform of the political system of Spain is brewing; the electorate of the left parties expresses the greatest demand for reform.

Descriptive Analysis of the Characteristics of Proven Cases of Sexual Abuse in Victims With Intellectual Disabilities and Children With Typical Development in Spain.

Children and people with intellectual disability (ID) are considered to be highly vulnerable and in need of special protection against sexual abuse (SA). The objective of this work was to analyze the characteristics of cases of SA in children with typical development and in people with ID in Spain. To do so, 25 cases of each type that had been investigated by specialized groups of the Judicial Police of the Spanish Civil Guard and that had been classified as proven and confirmed by police and forensic-medical evidence were analyzed. The results allowed the establishment of the typical minor victim profile as Spanish female (76%), with an average age of 8.64 years. Typical victim with ID was characterized as being of Spanish, aged 20.28 years on average, without prior sexual experience, and similar percentages of males (40%) and females (60%). In both cases, the aggressor usually acted alone, was known to the victim, had an average age of 42 years, and without a history of sexual offenses. The most common child sexual crime was SA with penetration, practiced repeatedly, using strategies such as the use of force, authority, rewards, or secrecy. Victims with ID suffered sexual abuse with penetration, using force, authority, threats or blackmail. Finally, 36% of minors not disclose the events by only 8% of victims with ID. Spontaneity was found in the 40% first disclosure in both victims, with greater police evidence and greater recognition of guilt on behalf of the aggressors against victims without disabilities. Minors took an average of 26.26 days to report the facts, and victims with ID of 64.94. It is necessary to know more about these types of offenses to design appropriate prevention and detection programs.

Los pactos de pre-ruptura conyugal: a la búsqueda del equilibrio entre la libertad y la solidaridad

The conclusion of agreements in contemplation of a family breakdown is a relatively recent development in Spain. The Spanish Civil Code contains no provisions regulating them. Nevertheless, in its groundbreaking decision of 31 March 2011, the Supreme Court has expressly upheld the validity and enforceability of these agreements. Such validity is con?rmed in two sub- sequent decisions in 2015 and 2018. This paper analyses the speci?c requirements for concluding these agreements and clari?es the limits of their validity.

Host range testing of Tamarixia dryi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) sourced from South Africa for classical biological control of Trioza erytreae (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in Europe

The African citrus psyllid, Trioza erytreae, vectors citrus greening or huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The psyllid has been reported from mainland Europe, where it is rapidly spreading from the northwest to the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. In order to reduce its spread and population levels, a classical biological control program with the parasitoid Tamarixia dryi is under development in Spain. We evaluated the host specificity of T. dryi using 11 non-target psyllid (NTP) species, including five species of the genus Trioza. The psyllids were selected based on phylogenetic and ecological criteria. Tamarixia dryi exhibited a high host specificity. Females did not parasitize any of the 11 NTPs tested, except for one nymph of a gall-forming Trioza species closely related to Trioza montanetana. Tamarixia dryi only laid one egg on a nymph when it was removed from the gall on Convolvulus canariensis and exposed directly to the parasitoid. However, the immature parasitoid died before emerging. We further confirmed that T. dryi did not parasitize a representative triozid species, Trioza laurisilvae, of the endemic Canarian fauna after long time exposure. Our results demonstrate that T. dryi is a highly specific parasitoid and its introduction, release and establishment in Europe within the classical biological control program of T. erytreae should not affect other psyllid species. Therefore, no significant environmental impact is expected.

Effect of protected areas in reducing land development across geographic and climate conditions of a rapidly developing country, Spain

AbstractProtected areas (PAs) aim at safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services in the long term. Despite the remarkable growth in area covered by PAs in recent years, biodiversity trends continue to worsen as a result of serious global pressures such as habitat destruction and degradation. One main cause of habitat destruction and degradation is land development that implies the replacement of natural land uses–land covers (LULCs) with artificial ones. Here, we assessed the effectiveness of four PA networks at preventing land development in Spain, a biodiversity‐rich country that has experienced recent rapid environmental transformations, using two models of increased validity: an original model and a biophysically enhanced model. We applied a before–after control–impact (BACI) design whereby absolute artificial area increase (AAI) and relative artificial area increase (RAI) were compared across PA categories (nature reserves [NRs], nature parks [NPs], Sites of Community Importance [SCIs], and Special Protection Areas [SPAs]), study zones (coastal and inland), and climates (Atlantic and Mediterranean) using CORINE Land Cover (CLC) data and two control zones: 1‐ and 5‐km buffers around protected polygons. NRs prevented land development, whereas other categories reduced it moderately to very substantially in the assessed period. AAI was especially intense in inland SPAs and NPs. NRs and NPs were the most effective PA categories inland, whereas NRs and SPAs were the most effective ones on the coast. Land development was greater on the Spanish coast than inland inside and outside PAs, especially around Macaronesian and Mediterranean PAs. Atlantic PAs experienced similar or greater land development values than surrounding areas. Our results are intended to guide future conservation efforts in Spain, chiefly on its heavily pressured coastal environment.

‘España es diferente … España cambia de piel’. Of the Festivals of Spain (1954) to the 1st International Biennial of Contemporary Music of Madrid (1964): Avant-Garde Music for the Francoist Technocracy

1964 was ‘the Musical Year’ of Franco’s Spain, as part of the ‘XXV Years of Peace’. For that reason, before analysing the I Bienal Internacional de Música Contemporánea [1st International Biennial of Contemporary Music (I IBCM)], a synoptic comment is made on the most outstanding events that previously contributed to the commemoration of that event, namely, the First Opera Festival in Madrid, the Peace Concert, the Radio and Television (RTVE) Symphony Orchestra and the 1st Festival of Music of Americas and Spain (I FMAS), since all of them represented, in the field of music, the development of Spain in the 1960s and the type of integration with Europe that the pro-Franco technocracy attempted economically. It also explains the promotion of festivals as a phenomenon of early Francoism, begun during the opening decade of the 1950s in order to combat the diplomatic isolation of Spain, promote tourism and re-educate the Spaniards.

DSSAT modelling for best irrigation management practices assessment under Mediterranean conditions

Water is considered the most critical resource for sustainable development in Spain. Crop models can enhance water efficiency, which provides an economic advantage while also reducing environmental burdens. The aim of this study was to calibrate and evaluate the Decision Support System for Agro-technology Transfer (DSSAT) model for the major crops grown in the fields of the La Violada Irrigation District (VID), Spain; additionally, this research sought to evaluate the current practices and to determine the best irrigation management practices under different soil types in the VID for each crop. Crop and soil type data from 54 plots of farmers’ fields were used for model calibration and evaluation during the 2015 and 2016 irrigation seasons. Two irrigation scenarios were applied in eight soil types in the VID based on the current irrigation applied by farmers and the optimum irrigation adjusted to crop requirement. The DSSAT model demonstrated good performance among maize, wheat, barley and sunflower crops. The evaluation of the current irrigation system showed that farmers were not managing their irrigation systems properly. The adjusted irrigation management application showed a potential reduction in the seasonal irrigation depth for maize-SS (short-season maize) (27%), maize-LS (long season maize) (18%) and sunflower (16%). In a broader context, optimum irrigation practices can reduce the amount of leached N and deep percolation losses by 31% (4.48 T) and 34% (1.2 hm3), respectively, considering the cultivated crop area in each soil type in the entire VID.

Cinema of Crisis and the Documentary Impulse: The UPF Masters in Creative Documentary

In this article, I analyse the relationship between contemporary Spanish documentary and the two crises that have deeply affected the country’s film industry in the last years: the financial crisis and the crisis of legitimacy of Spanish cinema amongst spectators and critical discourse. Specifically, I look at how the Masters in Creative Documentary of the UPF (Universidad Pompeu Fabra) has fostered an alternative documentary culture aimed at reconciling cinema’s role as a critical observer of neoliberal development in Spain. I focus on the university institution itself as a state-funded space of resistance to the ‘unthinking’ dynamics of the Spanish commercial film industry, especially in terms of its relation to actuality. To examine such issues in detail, I look at a paradigmatic case study from the UPF context: the film La plaga (Neus Ballús, 2013), which depicts the struggles of people in the periphery of Barcelona as globalised capitalism remaps and redefines their lives. Although humble and modest, the ‘UPF model’ is perhaps the seed for a future Spanish cinema that can speak both to the public’s reality and against the neoliberal conquest of every realm of society.

Interpretation of cultural heritage. The case of Andalusia

The article touches upon the elements of the “competitive identity” of Spain – culture and tourism. Representation of a cultural heritage provides the image and development of Spain. Cultural heritage includes tangible and intangible culture, that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and preserved for the benefit of future generations. The public of cultural tourism is growing/ The art of interpretation of cultural heritage is not just to give information, but to connect emotionally with its public.

European Union regional policy and development in Spain: capital widening and productivity stagnation over 1989–2010

ABSTRACT Total factor productivity (TFP) in Spain over the period 1989–2010 has followed a decreasing trend. This paper explores to what degree the transport infrastructure investments financed with European Union Structural Funds (ERDF) and Cohesion Funds (CF) including the compulsory national cofunding (EUINFP) prevented TFP over this period from falling further. It estimates an augmented Mankiw–Romer–Weil model for the 17 Spanish regions over the period 1989–2010 and finds positive marginal contributions on the TFP growth rate for EUINFP, research and development, and the interdependencies between EUINFP and private capital. These factors partially offset the dismal TFP performance of Spain over this period.

Participatory Guarantee Systems in Spain: Motivations, Achievements, Challenges and Opportunities for Improvement Based on Three Case Studies

The increasing number of producers and consumers of organic products means that there is an increasing need to guarantee the organic characteristics of organic products. Certification is a tool that bridges the information deficit between demand and supply, ensuring that a product complies with the specified standards. Third-party certification (TPC) is the main tool for assessing compliance today. However, there have been criticisms about the suitability of TPC for small-scale producers and alternative certification systems have been developed, such as Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS). PGS are quality assurance systems in which stakeholders are expected to be involved and assure the quality claims being made by producers. This paper presents three PGS initiatives in Spain. The research methods used in this study were semi-structured and structured interviews. Interviewees felt that their PGS initiatives fulfilled the important motivations of building a community and adding value to their products. The main challenges mentioned were the participation of stakeholders and the efficiency of internal organization. The absence of official recognition for PGS in Spain and insufficient dissemination were also perceived as challenges. Although PGS has the potential for further development in Spain, the interviewees believed that more support and official recognition were still required.

Depósito Legal en línea: desafíos para su desarrollo en España Legal

The study aims to show the challenges facing by conservative institutions and the strategies that must be proposed to carry out the preservation of the cultural heritage that is produced in an intangible way in the Spanish territory. The need to preserve the documents currently produced in an intangible way has caused a change in the process of management of the Legal Deposit so that custody institutions have to face new challenges in order to carry out the necessary development in Spain regarding legislation from the Royal Decree 635/2015 of 10 July that comes to develop Law 23/2011 of Legal Deposit.

De los Estudios Estratégicos. Conceptualización y evolución de un campo de estudio

Strategic Studies is an interdisciplinary academic and professional field with a long tradition in the Anglo-Saxon world, but it is still in its early stages of development in Spain. For this reason, this article aims to contribute to its consolidation and study. To do this, firstly it addresses its conceptual foundations, based on the term of strategy. Secondly, the disciplinary boundaries of Strategic Studies are presented and one of its constitutive characteristics, such as its interest in policy advice, is discussed. After that, it describes the historical development of the field up to the topics that currently cover the agenda. Finally, it sets out some conclusions in order to highlight the importance of having a field of knowledge dedicated to the study of military power.

The influence of regulatory framework on environmental impact assessment in the development of offshore wind farms in Spain: Issues, challenges and solutions

It is clear that renewable energies, and particularly offshore wind power, constitute an opportunity to meet international and national commitments and targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement, and they therefore constitute an element of the approach necessary to address global warming in general. However, such sources of energy are not without drawbacks, given that their installation, operation and decommissioning may potentially cause damage to and threaten the marine environment. It is therefore important to achieve a balance between the environmental benefits of using of the oceans and the need for protection of the environment.Scientific uncertainty and lack of initial data on the potential effects of these facilities, have led to long delays in processing Environmental Impact Assessments, and public opposition to these projects has contributed to stagnation in terms of its development in Spain. Furthermore, incomplete environmental impact studies and inappropriate environmental impact statements (such as those that fail to assess the synergistic effects of nearby facilities and all components thereof) can lead to delays in processing applications, the inadmissibility of wind projects, and ineffective protection of the marine environment.The current regulations on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) -along with case-law decisions-, are an attempt to solve several of these varied problems and clashes of interests between promoters, citizens, and administrators, while protecting biodiversity and fighting climate change. However, some regulatory gaps and legal uncertainties still require regulatory improvement in this respect.The main objective of this research is therefore to assess the real and potential future legal and factual problems in the field of environmental assessment associated with offshore wind farms in Spain, in an analysis of the responses and solutions provided by the Directive 2014/52/EU and the 21/2013 Environmental Assessment Law. Regulatory improvements are proposed, which could help to boost the development of marine renewable energy facilities, promoting greater public consensus, while at the same time protecting biodiversity and the marine environment.The main proposed improvements consist of establishing a joint or coordinated processing of EIA with other assessments and procedures (such as the evaluations derived from birds and habitats directives); elaborating guidance documents which help promoters in analyzing synergistic and cumulative effects in their Environmental Impact Studies, hereafter EIS; enhancing the role of the scoping phase and, specially, considering the inclusion of this stage in the regulation of the simplified EIA procedure; improving public information and participation in the EIA process through the establishment of the obligation of disseminate relevant information through electronic means, the expansion of the legal concept of “interested persons” and the inclusion of public participation phases both in early stages of the procedure and after substantial modifications of the project or the study of EIA.