The course aims to provide a historiographical reflection on the city throughout the contemporary period, with a particular focus on the 19th and 20th centuries. This objective will be pursued through a general overview that repositions the theme of the city within the context of modernity, alongside a more specific case study centered on the city of Barcelona during two key historical junctures: first, from the early 19th century to the first two decades of the 20th century, a period marked by debates surrounding urban growth models; and second, from the restoration of democracy following the Francoist dictatorship, when major urban transformations became closely linked to the struggle for the right to the city, understood as a lever for democratization. The chosen theme proves particularly useful for engaging with concepts, literature, and interdisciplinary resources drawn from geography, demography, urban planning, sociology, economics, anthropology, cultural studies, and art history. From a theoretical standpoint, the course seeks to incorporate perspectives associated with the so-called “spatial turn in history,” emphasizing space as a social construct shaped over time (Lefebvre, 1991); the dynamics of its creation, reproduction, and transformation in everyday life (Certeau, 1984); the impact of spatial materiality on collective mentalities (referred to as moderate geographical materialism by Rohkrämer & Schulz, 2009); and space as a site of flows and encounters involving movements, communications, and networks (Massey, 2013). In this regard, these perspectives are considered especially valuable within a field of study that integrates diverse disciplinary backgrounds, where historical analysis can offer both contextual depth and a robust theoretical framework.

Guest Lecture: Paola Lo Cascio is Associate Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Barcelona, Deputy Director of the Centre d’Estudis Històrics Internacionals (CEHI-UB), and Principal Investigator of the project EUROPROX: The Contribution of Spanish Municipalism to the Construction of the European Union (PID2022-137588NB-I00), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. Session 1 The City in Contemporary Times: An Overview This session offers a panoramic introduction to the concept of the city in the modern era, establishing the historiographical and theoretical foundations for subsequent discussions. Session 2 Barcelona: From the Industrial Revolution to the Metropolitan Leap (1830–1929) This session explores the transformation of Barcelona during the 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on industrialization, debate on urban expansion, and the emergence of metropolitan dynamics. Session 3 Barcelona: Urban Transformations and Democratic Construction This session examines the urban changes in Barcelona following the restoration of democracy, highlighting the relationship between spatial reconfiguration and the consolidation of democratic practices.

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P.D.2-2 - Maggio