Summer 4 weeks I 2027

The goal of this seminar is to provide the student with a basic, but professional, level of knowledge of documentary film making. Special attention will be given to the successful renewal of the Spanish -and in special cases, the Catalan- film scene in the last 15 years. The seminar includes a practical exercise where the student can discover his particular way of seeing Spanish reality. The seminar consists in theoretical and practical lessons. During the course students and the tutor Ricardo Iscar will meet and discuss ideas and the situation of the contemporary documentaries.

This course addresses the political and cultural dimensions of artificial intelligence and network technologies in a range of global contexts. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates the fields of media and communication studies, critical theory, and the philosophy of technology, course materials will examine the technical and conceptual elements of machine learning, digital automation, and online communication in order to develop an understanding of their social impacts and historical consequences.

The course analyses the historical, political, business, social and anthropological elements at work in the Spain brand and its assets, as well as in the review of Spain’s main industries and businesses, leveraging the legacy and the opportunities that are at stake in recent and immediate contemporary contexts. The goal of the course is a descriptive and critical reflection on the notion of Spanish brands and their equity exploits across the globe; their distinctive traits, the diversity of mixed cultures, identities and realities the country portrays and how the communications world has shaped and can still shape the competitiveness of the potential and capabilities at hand. The course questions Spain’ss unique attributes; moreover it aims at debating around the symbols and the strategic brand discourses of Spanish businesses and institutions. The course is best suitable for advertising, public relations and communications students, as well as for humanities, business and economics and political sciences majors.

The Catalan audiovisual sector is expanding despite facing obstacles, since Spanish politics diminishes its singularity. Catalan language productions encounter a disadvantage in the broader market dominated by Spanish-speaking audiovisuals. On a global scale, small, regionally produced Catalan films and TV shows compete with major blockbusters, successfully gaining visibility. Overall, Catalan cinematography is progressing, while at the same time navigating marginalization and actively constructing its distinctive identity. The course explores how this regional cinema achieves distinctiveness, with a focus on the representation of women, social inequality, diverse minorities, and sustainability. Emphasizing the intersection of these issues, the course delves into the complexities of current Catalan social struggles on and off the screen.

This course will have both theoretical and practical components. We will explore Self-Portrait as a genre, learning to observe and reflect on how we see ourselves and how others see us. We will dive into Home Movies using footage of our friends and relatives to explore our personal identity. Finally, we will look into Film Diaries, finding ways to give cinematic meaning to the images that fill our everyday lives. On the practical side, students will create three small projects—one for each genre we explore—and we will watch and analyze both classic and contemporary works that can inspire and guide the students’ works.

Over the recent years, R has become the leading software tool for statistical computing and graphics. The software is greatly enhanced by numerous contributed packages submitted by users. The majority of computing in the leading applied statistical journals is done in R, and R is used almost exclusively in some of the leading-edge applications, such as in genetics and data mining. The purpose of this course is to set a foundation for full exploitation and creative use of the statistical language for computing and graphics R. The course will introduce students to the syntax and inner workings of R, to become proficient in everyday computational tasks with datasets of all kinds, skilled in applications of elementary statistical methods, with emphasis on (initial) data exploration and simple graphics. Focus will also be placed on opportunities to enhance the learning experience in other statistical courses by illustrating and applying basic statistical concepts in R.

This course is designed to give both political science and non-political science majors an overview of fundamental issues in the study of Spanish Politics. The core of the course is the study of the nature and functioning of the Spanish democratic system installed since the middle of the seventies, paying special attention to the main political processes, institutions, actors, political culture and electoral behavior.

Global flows and trends increasingly influence urban areas, which must tackle global challenges such as climate change, social inequality, migration, and technological disruptions. These challenges have direct local impacts on the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of urban environments. This course takes a comprehensive approach to global cities, examining them through the lenses of conceptual frameworks, global governance, planetary well-being, and the New Urban Agenda. The course concludes with a case study of Barcelona as a global city.

In recent years, main priorities in global agendas have dramatically changed. Green and digital transitions, rising populisms, increasing inequalities, the recovery from Covid-19 pandemic and, more recently, the re-emergence of territorial conflicts have become among the most urgent issues. These global challenges have indeed revived the debate on the urgent need for improving global governance mechanisms and coordination among governments, actors and civil society. In Europe and in Spain – one of the most affected areas from the recent crises – policy-makers and stakeholders have embraced the 2030 Agenda as an opportunity to transform public policies and politics to achieve human and sustainable development.