Teaching Plan Information

Presentation

History of Catalan Law is an optional subject at the UPF Faculty of Law where both domestic and international students are welcome. This subject deals both with issues of public law and private law, covering many areas of medieval (10th-15th centuries) and early modern Catalonia (16th-18th centuries): parliamentary institutions, fiscal mechanisms, municipal organization, labour regulation, wills and other documents of succession and family law, litigation, etc. The course is based on the historical experience of Barcelona and Catalonia, but open to other European local and regional areas. The subject is taught in a very open way, combining different ingredients: teacher's explanations, reading and discussion of articles and scientific papers, research and understanding of original archival documents and even a urban route.

Associated skills

General

1. Ability to analyze and synthesize

2. Oral and written communication

3. Ability to manage information

4. Critical reasoning

5. Autonomous learning

6. Ethical commitment

7. Teamwork

Specific

1. Understanding the dynamic nature of law

2. Understanding the plot of institutions of public, private, criminal, procedural law, etc. governing a bygone society (and a current one too)

3. Understanding the peculiarities of historical Barcelona and Catalonia in the frame of the Crown of Aragon and the Hispanic monarchy later

4. Sensitivity towards Catalan law and its historical foundations

5. Getting a critical perspective of the historical experience of self-government of Catalonia

6. Comparing historical situations of different countries, preferably multinational and complex ones

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will know how to contextualize relevant legal phenomena and detect ruptures and historical continuities. This will serve him/her not only as general knowledge, but also to be a good lawyer, able to adapt to changing times and new social contexts.

Sustainable Development Goals

# Quality Education # Reduced Inequalities # Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Prerequisites

None. Obviously knowledge of general history and/or legal history is desirable. Students without this knowledge may be given additional materials, if they wish so.

Contents

Teaching Methods

Several methods will be combined: readings by students; reading comprehension exercises; doubt solving sessions; discussions; lecturing; oral and written presentations; virtual guided tours; online interviews; workshop in historical archives. 

Evaluation

Attending at least 75% of the sessions is necessary to be evaluated and/or to resit the module. 

85% of the final grade based upon continuous assessment: 4 exercises on compulsory readings (10% - 15% - 15% - 25% respectively) and oral interventions in class (20%).

15% of the final grade based upon a voluntary essay (written and presented in class) based on archival documents and/or bibliography. Needless to say that students willing to achieve the maximum grades (excellent / Honours) cannot skip this essay.

Bibliography and information resources

The following papers and additional ones will be available at the UPF Aula Global. 

ALBAREDA, Joaquim, “Political Participation in Catalonia: From Zenith to Suppression”, in ALBAREDA, Joaquim and HERRERO SÁNCHEZ, Manuel (ed.), Political Representation in the Ancien Régime, NYC (USA)-Abingdon (UK), Routledge, 2019, chapter 13.

CAPDEFERRO, Josep, "The Configuration of the Tribunal de Contrafaccions of Catalonia in the Corts of 1701-1702", in ALBAREDA, Joaquim and HERRERO SÁNCHEZ, Manuel (ed.), Political Representation in the Ancien Régime, NYC (USA)-Abingdon (UK), Routledge, 2019, chapter 14.

CORTEGUERA, Luis R., “The painter who lost his hat”, in The Sixteenth Century Journal, vol. 29, no. 4 (Winter, 1998), pp. 1023-1042.

FELIU, Eduard, “Some clarifications on several aspects of the history of Jews in Medieval Catalonia”, in Catalan Historical Review, no. 2 (2009), pp. 49-64.

FREEDMAN, Paul, “Peasant Servitude in Mediaeval Catalonia”, in Catalan Historical Review, no. 6 (2013), pp. 33-43.

TORRA-PRAT, Ricard, “From 'Judici de Taula' to 'Visitas'. A Brief overview of how Catalan Parliaments made public officials accountable”, in eHumanista, vol. 48 (2021), pp. 54-62.

Teaching Plan Information

Presentation

History of Catalan Law is an optional subject at the UPF Faculty of Law where both domestic and international students are welcome. This subject deals both with issues of public law and private law, covering many areas of medieval (10th-15th centuries) and early modern Catalonia (16th-18th centuries): parliamentary institutions, fiscal mechanisms, municipal organization, labour regulation, wills and other documents of succession and family law, litigation, etc. The course is based on the historical experience of Barcelona and Catalonia, but open to other European local and regional areas. The subject is taught in a very open way, combining different ingredients: teacher's explanations, reading and discussion of articles and scientific papers, research and understanding of original archival documents and even a urban route.

Associated skills

General

1. Ability to analyze and synthesize

2. Oral and written communication

3. Ability to manage information

4. Critical reasoning

5. Autonomous learning

6. Ethical commitment

7. Teamwork

Specific

1. Understanding the dynamic nature of law

2. Understanding the plot of institutions of public, private, criminal, procedural law, etc. governing a bygone society (and a current one too)

3. Understanding the peculiarities of historical Barcelona and Catalonia in the frame of the Crown of Aragon and the Hispanic monarchy later

4. Sensitivity towards Catalan law and its historical foundations

5. Getting a critical perspective of the historical experience of self-government of Catalonia

6. Comparing historical situations of different countries, preferably multinational and complex ones

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will know how to contextualize relevant legal phenomena and detect ruptures and historical continuities. This will serve him/her not only as general knowledge, but also to be a good lawyer, able to adapt to changing times and new social contexts.

Sustainable Development Goals

# Quality Education # Reduced Inequalities # Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Prerequisites

None. Obviously knowledge of general history and/or legal history is desirable. Students without this knowledge may be given additional materials, if they wish so.

Contents

Teaching Methods

Several methods will be combined: readings by students; reading comprehension exercises; doubt solving sessions; discussions; lecturing; oral and written presentations; virtual guided tours; online interviews; workshop in historical archives. 

Evaluation

Attending at least 75% of the sessions is necessary to be evaluated and/or to resit the module. 

85% of the final grade based upon continuous assessment: 4 exercises on compulsory readings (10% - 15% - 15% - 25% respectively) and oral interventions in class (20%).

15% of the final grade based upon a voluntary essay (written and presented in class) based on archival documents and/or bibliography. Needless to say that students willing to achieve the maximum grades (excellent / Honours) cannot skip this essay.

Bibliography and information resources

The following papers and additional ones will be available at the UPF Aula Global. 

ALBAREDA, Joaquim, “Political Participation in Catalonia: From Zenith to Suppression”, in ALBAREDA, Joaquim and HERRERO SÁNCHEZ, Manuel (ed.), Political Representation in the Ancien Régime, NYC (USA)-Abingdon (UK), Routledge, 2019, chapter 13.

CAPDEFERRO, Josep, "The Configuration of the Tribunal de Contrafaccions of Catalonia in the Corts of 1701-1702", in ALBAREDA, Joaquim and HERRERO SÁNCHEZ, Manuel (ed.), Political Representation in the Ancien Régime, NYC (USA)-Abingdon (UK), Routledge, 2019, chapter 14.

CORTEGUERA, Luis R., “The painter who lost his hat”, in The Sixteenth Century Journal, vol. 29, no. 4 (Winter, 1998), pp. 1023-1042.

FELIU, Eduard, “Some clarifications on several aspects of the history of Jews in Medieval Catalonia”, in Catalan Historical Review, no. 2 (2009), pp. 49-64.

FREEDMAN, Paul, “Peasant Servitude in Mediaeval Catalonia”, in Catalan Historical Review, no. 6 (2013), pp. 33-43.

TORRA-PRAT, Ricard, “From 'Judici de Taula' to 'Visitas'. A Brief overview of how Catalan Parliaments made public officials accountable”, in eHumanista, vol. 48 (2021), pp. 54-62.