October 2016 NUI Galway Symposium on Contemporary Spanish Society

NUI Galway will host a symposium on contemporary Spanish society entitled ‘Spain Today: A Guide for the Perplexed’. The symposium will take place on Thursday, 6 October at 5.30pm in the Aula Maxima.

Guest speakers include William Chislett, Associate Analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute, Madrid, who will deliver a talk entitled ‘Where is Spain Going?’; and Guy Hedgecoe, The Irish Times correspondent in Madrid, who will discuss ‘Remodelling Spain – The Spain of the last five years’.

The two experts on modern Spain will discuss the politics, economics and current situation of Spain, in a context where the country has been without a government since December 2015. Like Ireland, Spain is currently bouncing back from a deep economic crisis, although there continues to be high unemployment and an uncertain political situation.

Both speakers will also review recent history and current developments in Spain, and will offer fresh insights into situations on the ground in this fascinating country which is the world’s tenth largest economy and one of the key players in the European Union.

Professor Bill Richardson, Head of Spanish at NUI Galway, said: “This symposium responds to the fascination many Irish people have with Spain, Spanish culture and the Spanish language, and offers an opportunity for people to get an excellent quick insight into what Spain is like as a modern, dynamic society and economy.”

The symposium will be followed by the launch of the recently-published book Contemporary Spain, Fourth Edition written by Christopher Ross of Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, and two lecturers from NUI Galway’s Discipline of Spanish at NUI Galway, Professor Bill Richardson and Begoña Sangrador-Vegas.

The symposium is sponsored by the Spanish Embassy in Dublin and is open to the public.

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