Multidisciplinary analysis of the Republic on its 80th anniversary

Raul Garcia Hemonnet

The Second Spanish Republic is, without a doubt, one of the most important periods of transformation in the history of Spain. With the aim of approaching it, with the perspective given by 80 years since its proclamation, the Rey Juan Carlos University organizes a congress that has, among its hallmarks, multidisciplinarity and a variety of approaches.

'The Second Republic, 80 years later: a review from the present', which is the name of the symposium being held today, offers students and anyone who wishes to attend an approach from points of view as disparate as the role of women in the republican period, education, the role of the military or the artistic movements that emerged in this era of cultural effervescence.

As Javier Rodríguez Abengózar, professor of Contemporary History at the URJC and coordinator of the Congress points out, “the initiative arose from the subject of History of Current Spain, which is approached mainly from politics. Now, with this conference, you can have a polyhedral vision of the period, avoid stereotyped images, deal with lights and shadows”.

Neither idealization nor demonization

The Congress dedicates an important part of its time to analyze the image of the Second Republic, for Rodríguez Abengónzar, “the Second Republic enjoys a very positive vision of the Second Republic. The objective of the Congress is to make a historical review but not from a neo-Francoist point of view, but from that of ending stereotypes and offering a vision from the present, fleeing from the idealization and demonization of this period.

Among the presentations, according to Abengózar, those of the URJC professor Elena Sánchez de Madariaga stand out, “one of the greatest experts in Spain on gender and education in the Second Republic”. Likewise, the Congress has the presence of Fernando Puell de la Villa "the most important military historian in Spain, who will speak about the reform of the Army in this period", indicates this URJC teacher. In addition, other academics from the URJC and experts in the art and music of this historical period will participate.

The event is intended for undergraduate and double undergraduate History students, although it is open to anyone interested in the subject. For its realization, a mixed modality has been chosen, in which the presentations will be held in person in the hall of degrees of the Departmental Building of the Fuenlabrada campus, which will also have a reduced audience due to capacity issues. Alternatively, you can attend remotely. The Congress has already received almost 200 registrations, "the response from the students has been very good." "We have chosen a dynamic of short presentations to leave a lot of space for debate and thus make it more enjoyable and fresh", explains Abengózar.

All with the aim of offering students and the general public an approach to the Second Spanish Republic from many points of view, to help them generate a new vision of this important period in the recent history of Spain.