Title: Teachers and the struggle for democracy in Spain, 1970-1985 /
Authors: Groves, Tamar,; Engel, Ben,
Year: 2014
Subjects: Education and state Spain History; Teachers Political activity Spain History; Teachers Political activity Spain Madrid History; Teachers Political activity Spain Salamanca History; Education Political aspects Spain History; Social movements Spain History; Social change Spain History; Democracy Spain History; EDUCATION / Educational Policy & Reform / General.; HISTORY / Modern / 20th Century.; HISTORY / Europe / Spain & Portugal.; HISTORY / Social History.; Democracy; Education and state; Education Political aspects; Political science; Social change; Social history; Social movements; Teachers Political activity; Spain Politics and government; Spain Social conditions; Spain; Spain Madrid; Spain Salamanca
Abstract: "This book looks at teachers' social movements during the Spanish transition to democracy, between 1970 and 1985. It shows how ordinary teachers struggled to liberate their country's education system from the legacy of dictatorship. It explores their organizations, the paths of action they chose and their interaction with the disintegrating autocracy and the emerging democracy. In addition to analyzing the national aspects of their initiatives it follows their grass-roots activities in two local contexts, the fast growing metropolitan city of Madrid and the backward rural province of Salamanca. It thus combines a general evaluation of the phenomenon with intimate glances at the people who drove it forward. The success of the transition, the book argues, was due not only to the maneuverings of political leaders, nor to popular protests in the streets, but was instead a common civic effort. By vindicating the importance of democratic professionals it thus illuminates the Spanish transition to democracy from a new angle"--
Contents: Representation Put to the Test : the Teachers Movements -- Educational Revolution From Within : The Movements for Pedagogical Renovation -- Rehearsing for Democracy : Union Agitation in Madrid -- Liberating the Classroom : Pedagogical Renovation in Madrid -- Recovery of Civil Society at a Local Level : The Teachers Movements in the Province of Salamanca -- Back to the Village : Teachers as Agents of an Alternative Culture -- Conclusion.