Bilingual Edition/Edición bilingüe/English/Español On September 11, 2012, on Catalonia's National Day, 1.5 million people from all over Catalonia marched peacefully and joyfully through the streets of Barcelona, behind a single placard: Catalonia: New State in Europe. Fifteen days later, President Artur Mas called snap elections for the Parliament of Catalonia, in order to hold a referendum that would let the people of Catalonia decide their own future. The rest of the world and even Spain were caught by surprise, but the events unfolding in Barcelona have been a long time coming. In this new book, 35 experts explore Catalonia's history, economics, politics, language, and culture, in order to explain to the rest of the world the fascinating story behind the march, the new legislature, and the upcoming vote on whether Catalonia will become the next new state in Europe. -------------------- El 11 de septiembre de 2012, Diada Nacional de Cataluña, un millón y medio de personas de toda Cataluña se manifestaron pacífica y felizmente por las calles de Barcelona, detrás de una sola pancarta: Cataluña: Nuevo Estado de Europa. Quince días más tarde, el presidente Artur Mas convocó elecciones anticipadas al Parlamento de Cataluña, con la intención de hacer un referéndum para que los catalanes decidan su propio futuro. El resto del mundo, e incluso España, se sorprendió, pero los acontecimientos que se dieron en Barcelona vienen de muy lejos. En este nuevo libro, 35 expertos exploran la historia, economía, política, lengua y cultura de Cataluña para poder explicar al resto del mundo los antecedentes fascinantes que hay detrás de la manifestación, la nueva legislatura, y el referéndum que se celebrará próximamente para saber si Cataluña será un nuevo estado de Europa. Prologue/Prólogo: Artur Mas, President of Catalonia

This book explores the complex history of Catalonia in relation to Spain from an economic and political perspective. It begins in the Middle Ages and ends in the present day, analysing the intricate political problems of modern day Catalonia within a context of European integration and nationalism.

An incisive account of modern Spain, from the death of Franco to the Catalan referendum and beyond “Comprehensive and engaging.”—Gideon Rachman, Financial Times Spain’s transition to democracy after Franco’s long dictatorship was widely hailed as a success, ushering in three decades of unprecedented progress and prosperity. Yet over the past decade its political consensus has been under severe strain. A stable two-party system has splintered, with disruptive new parties on the far left and far right. No government has had a majority since 2015. Michael Reid overturns the stereotypical view of Spain as a country haunted by its Francoist past. From Catalan separatism and the indignados movement to the Spanish economy’s overdependence on tourism and small business, Spain’s challenges can often seem unique. But Reid is careful to emphasize the many pressures it faces in common with its European neighbors—such as austerity, populism, and increasing polarization. The result is a penetrating yet rounded portrait of a vibrant country—one that is more often visited than understood.

Welcome to the Catalan Collection by Magic Speak! This book is designed to help you improve your language skills by reading engaging and entertaining short stories translated in Catalan to help you on becoming a Catalan fluent speaker. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner, you will find something in this book that will challenge and inspire you. By the end of this book, you will have not only improved your language skills, but also gained a deeper understanding of the culture and people of the language you are learning. So, sit back, relax, and let the stories take you on a journey to fluency. You will find a collection of carefully selected short stories translated into Catalan. First you are going to read the 5 original stories in Catalan and then the translations in Spanish, English, German, French, Italian and Portuguese. In addition to helping you learning a new language you will also give you a deeper understanding of the culture and people of the language you are learning. The stories are set in different locations and times, and they depict the customs, beliefs, and experiences of the people who speak the language. As you read, you will gain a better understanding of the culture and society of the language you are learning, and this will help you to communicate more effectively with native speakers. This book is an ideal resource for anyone who wants to improve their language skills through reading engaging and entertaining short stories. On this episode, we will read 5 stories about Sophia’s trip to Barcelona! Enjoy :) Marcell Mazzoni Editor Magic Speak

Tesis doctoral dirigida por Paul Preston en la London School of Economics (en inglés) sobre el fracaso del catalanismo durante el primer franquismo.

This book explores the conflict between the Catalan project to become independent and the Spanish state’s opposition to any attempt of secessionism. The volume addresses some of the key political and academic issues of contemporary European societies: nationalism, separatism and sovereignty. The banned referendum in Catalonia in October 2017 unveiled the existence of multiple crises, from territorial to economic and political. Indeed, the Catalan issue is about the crisis of sovereignty: who holds legitimacy to make decisions, and who is in power legally and politically? The book is structured according to three themes: sovereignty and its people, where the realignment to independence, populism and the definition of the demos are discussed; collective identities and actions, to account for the shaping of ‘us’, the importance of collective memory and the cross-alliances forged during the referendum; and internationalization, focusing on Europeanisation, international media and comparative constitutional perspectives.

From examining war cries to reflecting on counselling sessions, Clashing Wor(l)ds takes a multidisciplinary approach to investigating the role of communication in global, national, and personal conflicts.