The Sobremesa Podcast
The Sobremesa Podcast explores modern-day Spanish society, politics, and history, aiming to move beyond stereotypes. It offers insightful discussions on contemporary Spain, with episodes covering a range of topics from cultural norms to political developments. The podcast is supported by listener donations to ensure its sustainability.
Episodios
San Fermín Beyond Hemingway
2026 marks the centenary of Ernest Hemingway’s novel ‘The Sun also Rises’, which brought Pamplona’s San Fermín festival international fame. Yet beyond its place in Hemingway’s iconic novel and the yearly international news reports of tourists injured or even dying in the running of the bulls, the fiestas of San Fermín has also served as a symbolic battleground in Navarre's unresolved identity
Sánchez under Siege
In recent months Pedro Sánchez's government has faced the most sustained judicial offensive of its time in office. Sanchez’s wife has been ordered to stand trial for influence peddling and her passport confiscated because a right-wing judge believed she constituted a flight risk. Meanwhile the prime minister’s brother is now awaiting a verdict in a highly controversial trial for influence peddling
Tribulete 7: The Building on the Frontline of Madrid's Housing Crisis
Let me tell you a story about Lavapiés. Spain's housing crisis has finally come for you. Your home has just been sold to a vulture fund and they want you out. What would you do? The residents at Calle Tribulete 7 came together and set out on a path of resistance, one that would transform them into a Madrid-wide symbol of the battle for housing rights. The documentary Soy Tribulete 7 (I am Trib
Conquistadors and Culture Wars
Last month Madrid’s right wing regional premier Isabel Ayuso took it upon herself to travel to Mexico so as to lecture the Mexican public about their own history - as she participated in a homage to the conquistador Hernan Cortes. Proving once again her reputation as a Trumpian figure within the mainstream conservative Popular Party, she even went as far as to insist on her return to Madrid that “
The Battle over Picasso's Guernica
Pablo Picasso’s Guernica is probably the most well known painting of the 20th century, and has become a universal symbol of the horrors of war. But it has also been the subject of renewed controversy in recent weeks in Spain - over a yet another request by the Basque government for the painting to be displayed at least temporarily in Bilbao. The current request comes ahead of the 90th anniversary
Gabriel Rufian and the Spanish left
With the announcement from deputy prime minister Yolanda Diaz that she would not be standing as a candidate in next year’s general election, Spain’s radical left currently looks leaderless and increasingly fragmented. In this context, attention has turned towards Gabriel Rufian as a potential new left-wing figurehead. Yet there is one major issue: Rufian, a charismatic,working class Catalan MP is
From Faith to Freedom: Catholicism, Liberalism, and Hispanidad in Cádiz 1812
On this episode Alan is joined by Gregorio Alonso, Associate Professor in Hispanic History at the University of Leeds. We explore the 1812 Cádiz Constitution, a landmark document born in a time of siege and upheaval.Gregorio takes us through the tensions between liberalism and Catholicism, the shaping of Hispanidad, and how these ideas influenced Spain and the loss of its empire. This conversation
Sánchez on the World Stage
Hours after the United States and Israel bombed Iran on Saturday morning, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez released a statement which read: “We reject the unilateral military action of the United States and Israel that entails an escalation and contributes to a more uncertain and hostile international order...We demand immediate de-escalation and full respect for international law." He also co
Francoist Prison Worlds: Totalitarianism and Social Control
Today's guest is historian Helen Graham, who discusses her research into the brutal prison system under Francoist dictatorship. Her work shows how mass incarceration after the Spanish Civil War was only one part of a much wider system of control and surveillance — one that reached beyond prison walls into families, communities, and everyday life, shaping how millions of people experienced dictator
Barcelona and the 1936 Popular Olympics
Originally released 01 August 2024On the eve of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936, Barcelona was set to host the Popular Olympic games. Bringing together athletes from around the world under the banner of anti-fascism, the event was meant to take place just weeks before the Nazi Olympics in Berlin. Yet as the athletes gathered for the opening ceremony, the military coup was launched, in turn, lea
Exhuming Violent Histories: How to Tell the Story of Spain's Mass Graves
Originally published: 12/07/22This week's guest is sociologist Nicole Iturriaga who Eoghan talked to about her new book 'Exhuming Violent Histories: Forensics, Memory and Rewriting Spain's Past'. The book provides a detailed case study of Spain’s best-known historical memory organization, the Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory which since 2000 has been responsible for exhuming many
Poetry of the International Brigaders
Jim Jump, the editor of the poetry anthology "Poems from Spain: British and Irish International Brigaders on the Spanish Civil War", joins Alan to discuss the collection of poems that stretch the length Spanish Civil War and after. All poems were written by men and women participating in the International Brigades. They cover the lives of the poets themselves, recite poetry from the book and discu
2025 - The Year in Spanish Politics
2025 was the year Spain stood out in Europe over its clear opposition to the Israeli genocide in Gaza, as well as over its critical stance towards the Trump-led military spending spree in NATO. With the fall of the Social Democrats in Germany, the country’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez also reinforced his position within the EU as the major figurehead of the continent’s centre-left. Yet, at home
Fields of Exploitation: Corporate Farming in Spain
Spain is the European Union’s largest fruit and vegetable producer, with exports topping €18 billion in 2024. Yet those whose work sustains this lucrative sector face widespread underpayment and labour rights violations - with some facing extreme exploitation bordering on modern slavery.As Eoghan tells Alan, this model should not be seen as some antiqued part of the Spanish economy but rather in i
Franco Anniversary: What Is His Regime's Legacy after 50 Years?
As Spain marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of dictator Francisco Franco, Eoghan sits down for a wide-range interview with Sebastiaan Faber, Professor of Hispanic Studies at Oberlin College and author of Exhuming Franco. They discuss the very contested institutional, political and ideological legacies of the dictatorship - as well as the continued fascination with Franco on the far-right
Between the Bottle and the Bullet: Alcohol, Drugs and the Spanish Civil War
In this episode of The Sobremesa Podcast, Alan McGuire speaks with historian Dr. Jorge Marco, author of Paradise in Hell: Alcohol and Drugs in the Spanish Civil War (University of Wales Press).They explore how intoxication shaped the Spanish Civil War. Not just on the battlefield, but in propaganda, gender roles, and moral control. From the image of the “drunken enemy” to the ideal of the sober, d
Spanish Football under Franco: Sportswashing Avant la Lettre
This week we discuss the use of football as a propaganda tool under the Francisco Franco dictatorship, concentrating in particular on the cases of Real Madrid and Barcelona. Eoghan speaks to historian Alejandro Quiroga, author of the book the book ‘Football and National Identities in Spain’. If you like what we are producing and want more, please consider making a donation to our Buy me a coffee p
Not Such a Soft Dictatorship: Francoism and the Forgotten Repression of Sexual Minorities
In the later years of Franco’s regime, Spain was beginning to change socially, culturally, and economically. But beneath the surface of so-called “soft dictatorship” the state continued to torture, imprison, and silence those who didn’t fit its moral order and catholic ideology.In this episode, we revisit a conversation with Sonia Cuesta Maniar, a doctoral researcher at St Antony’s College, Univer
Spain, Palestine, and the Politics of Solidarity
In this episode of The Sobremesa Podcast, Alan McGuire and Eoghan Gilmartin are joined by Barcelona-based Italian journalist Tiare Gatti Mora. they discuss Spain’s relationship with Palestine and Israel.The conversation explores the political and moral dynamics behind Spain’s arms embargo, its efforts to help stop the genocide in Gaza, and the possible calculations shaping Pedro Sánchez’s stance o
Catalonia Under Franco: Repression, Co-option, and Resistance
In this episode of The Sobremesa Podcast, we explore the complex and often contradictory history of Catalonia under Franco with historian Dr. Andrew Dowling.We unpack how the Francoist regime initially crushed Catalan language and culture, only to later co-opt selective elements for its own purposes — reshaping Catalan identity under authoritarian rule.We also examine the uncomfortable truths of t
The Spanish Path to Fascism and the Evolution of Franco's Dictatorship
This week's guest is historian Nicolás Sesma whose book on the francoist dictatorship, ‘Ni Una, Ni Grande, Ni Libre’, was named by El País as one of the top ten books published in Spanish in 2024. The book offers a brilliant re-telling of the four decades of the Francoist regime, placing particular emphasis on how a changing international context impacted its development. It also interrogates and
Corruption in PSOE: Sánchez on the Ropes
Ten days ago Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist Party was rocked by a major corruption scandal - when the party’s head of organization Santos Cerdan became implicated in a massive graft operation involving the Spanish construction giant Acciona.The case has called into question Sánchez’s political judgement and credibility - in what is the most serious crisis of his seven year stint
Sobremesa Live! The Last Days of Alicante by Alan McGuire
In this special live episode, recorded at the launch of The Last Days of Alicante, Alan McGuire is joined by Eoghan and a close audience of family and friends to discuss his debut poetry collection. The conversation explores the themes behind the book, from tracing the scars of the Spanish Civil War in modern-day Spain to the life and legacy of Miguel Hernández. With audience questions and reflect
Franco’s Holy War and The Catholic Church
In this episode, historian Pablo Sánchez León joins Alan to explore the powerful and often disturbing alliance between the Catholic Church and the Franco regime. We go beyond the conventional narrative of the Spanish Civil War to uncover how the conflict functioned as a modern Catholic holy war — framed not just as a political struggle, but as a divine crusade to purify Spain.We discuss how anti-c
Paul Preston on Franco
2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Francisco Franco and Sobremesa Podcast is launching a series of episodes examining in detail and from various angles Francoism and the dictatorial regime built during his 40 year rule over Spain from the end of the Civil War in 1939 to his death in 1975. To start the series, we are delighted to be rejoined by renowned historian and biographer Paul Pr
Spanish Blackout as Europe Rearms
Last Monday at around 12.30 in the afternoon, the Iberian peninsula suffered the worst blackout in Europe over the last decades as 55 million people in Spain, Portugal and parts of south-west France were left without electricity for hours. In Madrid’s metro alone, there were 150,000 people travelling on the network when the power went and they were forced to evacuate while many high-speed trains w
A Political Guide to Semana Santa
Semana Santa is is one of the most important holidays of the year in Spain, with the main focus being on the popular processions organized by religious brotherhoods, or cofradías. Today on Sobremesa Podcast Alan and Eoghan are joined by the anthropologist Carlos Cañete to talk about both the oppressive and emancipatory sides of Semana Santa as a religious and cultural institution.Carlos is a tenur
Free Culture and the City with Alberto Corsín Jiménez
In this episode of The Sobremesa Podcast, Alan speaks with Alberto Corsín Jiménez, anthropologist and author of Free Culture and the City: Hackers, Commoners, and Neighbors in Madrid, 1997–2017. They explore how the principles of free software, Creative Commons, and hacker culture shaped Madrid’s urban activism—especially in the lead-up to and aftermath of the 15M movement. From the Pardo Media La
Spain's Housing Crisis 2025 with Koldo Casla
Spain’s housing crisis has returned, but unlike 2008, there’s no financial collapse—just rising rents, increasing evictions, and a housing market that feels out of reach for many. What’s driving this crisis, and what can be done to address it?In this episode of The Sobremesa Podcast, Alan speaks with Dr. Koldo Casla, a Senior Lecturer in International Human Rights Law at Essex Law School, to explo
Vox, Musk and the Reactionary International
Last weekend saw the European far-right once again converge on Madrid as Vox hosted a summit of party leaders from the European Patriots group. Already acting as an active lobby for Musk in the EU parliament to ensure there is no regulation of social media, the far-right grouping are jubilant at their prospects for the next 4 years after the election of Trump.That Vox’s Santiago Abascal was named
Barcelona's Hidden Civil War Monuments
This week writer and tour guide Nick Lloyd brings Catherine on a a more atypical historical route of Barcelona to uncover the lesser known layers to the city’s history.They start at Estació de França, a historic train station not far from the city’s port where the International Brigades arrived to Spain. They then walk down to Ciutadella Park, where Barcelona’s zoo is located to discuss the haunti
Spanish Crowds - Carnaval, Fiestas and Protests
This week Eoghan talks to author and journalist Dan Hancox about his new book 'Multitudes: How Crowds Made The Modern World’. It is a fascinating exploration of the collective joy and emancipatory potential of different forms of mass gatherings while also tracing the obsession of elites and the forces of law and order in policing, delegitimizing and suppressing crowds.
Throughout Multitudes Dan r
Spanish Politics: The Year in Review 2024
It has been a year of near constant parliamentary deadlock for Spain's left-leaning government but also one of strong economic growth in comparison to other eurozone economies. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialist Party won the Catalan elections in May and were once again the largest social democratic force in Europe after June's European parliament elections. Yet Sanchez and PSOE have also be
Michael Eaude on Spain's Reckoning with Its Past
This week Eoghan talks to the author and journalist Michael Eaude. Michael is the author nine books, including ‘Catalonia, a Cultural History’, ‘Triumph at Midnight of the Century - A Critical Biography of Arturo Barea’ and ‘Sails and Winds - A Cultural History of Valencia’.
And during the last 25 years he has also worked as a self-described "necrologist", writing some 70 obituaries for The Guar
Stories Left in Stone: Tales from Cáceres Extremadura
Writer and musician, Troy Nahumko, joins Alan to discuss his new book Stories Left in Stone, Trails and Traces in Cáceres, Spain. They discuss the old town of Cáceres, a UNESCO world heritage site, Game of Thrones, the world's oldest handprint, cave art and regional politics.
You can buy Troy's book here
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Anger and Rage in Valencia after the Floods
130,000 people protested in Valencia last Saturday demanding regional premier Carlos Mazón resign from his post for his disastrous management of the floods which devastated the area two weeks ago. The death toll stands at 223 people while hundreds of thousands of others have had their homes and places of work gutted.
Eoghan spoke to journalist Leah Pattem about the protests and the ongoing recove
Mass Deaths in Valencia after Flooding and Political Failure
Last Tuesday evening as thousands of people were commuting home from work and many others continued at their jobs in supermarkets, cinemas, factories, beauty shops and restaurants, unprecedented flash floods hit the Valencia region.
That morning at 8am the Spanish Met office issued its highest warning level of maximum red, warning of extreme danger. But the right-wing regional government of Carlo
Inside Opus Dei - From Francoism to Trump
This week Eoghan talks to financial journalist Gareth Gore. In his new book Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church Gore opens the lid on the extremist, reactionary sect Opus Dei. Opus was initially set up against the tumultuous backdrop of 1930s Spain and went to play a leading role in the Francoist dictatorship - both in education and
Tragedy in the Canaries Amid Spain's Anti-Immigration Turn
The island of El Hierro is at the centre of the Canary Islands’ current surge in irregular migration, receiving 13,000 refugees and immigrants this year – 2,000 more than its total residents. As hundreds die every month on the passage from West Africa to the popular tourist islands, the Spanish right are now weaponising the issue.
Leader of the far-right Vox Santiago Abascal denounced what he ch
Anarchism and Sexuality in 1930s Spain
This week Catherine talks to Sophie Turbutt about one of the most widely read anarchist magazines in 1930s Spain, La Revista Blanca,
Founded by the Montseny family, this anarchist magazine featured a novelty for the time, an advice column that offered answers to questions about gender, women's bodies, sex and sexuality. - topics that were limited in their discussion and clouded by taboos, rumours
Inequalities in Contemporary Spain
Berna León, Javier Carbonell and Javier Soria join Alan to discuss to discuss the book La desigualdad en España (Inequalities in Spain) published by Lengua de Trapo.
The book includes a prologue from Thomas Piketty and over 30 - international and national - experts examine inequalities in Spain, from the historical and ongoing causes to symptoms and possible cures. The three editors discuss how t
Spain's Thrilling Victory at the Euros!! And What It Says about Spanish Society.
This week Eoghan is joined by journalist Richard Fitzpatrick to discuss Spain’s incredible victory at the European Championships in Germany. Energised by its two daredevil wingers, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, Spain won all seven matches at the tournament, while playing wonderful attacking, flowing football.
Yet if Yamal and Williams offered the world another, more multicultural image of Spain
Protests and Palmas: A Social History of Flamenco
Matthew Machin-Autenrieth, an Ethnomusicologist from the University of Aberdeen, joins Alan to discuss the world famous dance from Spain.
In recent years, the Andalusian Government has embarked on an ambitious project of developing flamenco as a symbol of regional identity. But in this episode, Matthew offers an alternative and more complex history of its origins and development - from early Arab
Spectral Spain: Post-Franco Gothic Fiction with Heidi Backes
Heidi Backes joins Alan to discuss the haunted houses, silent spaces and traumatic memories often seen in post-Franco gothic fiction, such as in Carlos Ruiz Zafón's international bestseller The Shadow of the Wind.' Her new book Spectral Spain looks at how Gothic literature has become a leading genre in contemporary Spain - one capable of confronting the traumatic memories of the country
Spain's European Elections with Laura Seoane and Tim Syme
Alan is joined by the podcast's new co-host Laura Seoane, together they talk with political philosopher Tim Syme about the results of the European election, Yolanda Diaz's resignation, the breakthrough of Se Acabó la Fiesta (SALF) and what a rightward shift means for the European Union.
If you enjoy what we produce then please give us a review on your preferred podcast platform and consid
Online Politics in Spain: From 15M to the Fachosfera
This week Eoghan talks to researcher and sociologist Iago Moreno about the evolution of online politics in Spain from the techno-optimist vision of the 15M movement in 2011, with its promise of networked democracy, to the rise of the contemporary fachosfera - the far-right and reactionary online eco-system. Iago also talks about the emergence of a new extremist platform to the right of Vox, Se aca
Craft consciousness: Workers organisation in Early Modern Barcelona
This week Catherine talks to historian Brendan Von Briesen about how the organisation of skilled labour in medieval and early modern Barcelona, in the form of journeyman's guilds, can be seen as the foundation of the city's later labour and trade union movement.
If you enjoy what we produce then please give us a review on your preferred podcast platform and consider donating to our buy me
Catalan Election Special: Historic losses for the Independence Movement
This week Eoghan is joined by historian Andrew Dowling to discuss yesterday's historic Catalan election, which saw a definitive end to the decade long push for independence known as the procés.
For the first time since 2012, the pro-independence parties failed to secure a majority of seats in the new parliament. As the Socialists secured historic gains, the progressive nationalist vote collap
Why Rosalia is Not Your Friend - with Anita Fuentes
This week Alan is joined by culture critic and researcher Anita Fuentes to discuss Spanish celebrities and politics.
Should celebrities use their platforms to stand up for injustices like the genocide in Palestine and a recent revival in the Spanish MeToo movement?
Furthermore, Rosalia is often claimed to have a progressive image, but is she? From real estate to cultural appropriation much would i
Pedro Sánchez's Cliffhanger Decision!!!
After announcing last Wednesday that he was considering stepping down as Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez revealed this morning he was staying in the job so to fight for "the democratic renewal" of the country. In a move straight out of his favourite TV series Baron Noir, he has orchestrated another theatrical gesture or 'golpe de efecto' so as to rally the Left and upend th
Basque Election Special - Historic Gains for EH Bildu and the Independentist Left
This week Eoghan is joined by journalist Ben Wray to discuss last night's Basque elections, which saw historic gains for pro-independentist left EH Bildu - with the new Basque parliament being the most nationalist in 40 years. But Ben argues that this does not mean that independence is any closer but in fact the results reinforces Pedro Sanchez's centrality within the current governing arr
Forged in Spain: British Volunteers and the Spanish Civil War
This week Eoghan and new co-host Catherine Howley talk to Richard Baxell about his new book 'Forged in Spain' which vividly recounts the lives of the extraordinary men and women who left their families and friends across Britain to risk their lives in the Spanish Civil War.
Richard is a historian and former Research Fellow at the London School of Economics and is currently the Internatio
Paul Preston Interview: Britain's Betrayal of the Spanish Republic
This week's guest is Paul Preston, one of the foremost historians of the Spanish Civil War. Eoghan talked to Paul about his new book 'Perfidious Albion', which is out today from Clapton Press and which turns the spotlight on Britain’s crucial but often overlooked involvement in the war. Preston argues that the country's policy of non-intervention was a crucial factor in the outcome
Athletic Club Bilbao: A Unique Team
Eoghan is joined by Christopher James Evans to discuss his new book 'Los Leones: The Unique Story of Athletic Club Bilbao', which is out this month. It looks at Athletic's century long history and the development of its Basque-only footballing philosphy, which makes it stand out as a unique among the great clubs in world football.
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Portugal Turns Right in General Election
Yesterday's Portuguese general election saw a surge in support for the far-right Chega party, which tripled its vote share from six to eighteen percent while the governing Socialist Party saw a steep fall in support. To analyse the results, Eoghan is joined by journalist Joana Ramiro - whose work has appeared in The New Statesman, The Guardian and Novara Media.
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Spanish Civil War Refugees in France
This week on Sobremesa podcast we are discussing this month’s 85th anniversary of La Retirada, which saw 500,000 people flee Catalunya and into France as Franco's fascist forces occupied Barcelona. Eoghan speaks to graduate war historian and podcast host Uma Arruga i López about La Retirada and and the experience of Spanish Republicans as exiles in France.
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Franco's Poet and El Desencanto with Aaron Shulman
Aaron Shulman joins Alan to discuss his book The Age of Disenchantments: The Epic Story of Spain's Most Notorious Literary Family and the Long Shadow of the Spanish Civil War. Here he explores Spain's chaotic 20th century via the lense of the larger-than-fiction Panero family.
They discuss the cult classic documentary El desencanto (1976), which portrays the family at the peak of the coun
The Many Lives of al-Andalus with Eric Calderwood
Eric Calderwood, Associate Professor of Comparative and World Literature at the University of Illinois, joins Alan to discuss his new book On Earth or in Poems: The Many Lives of al-Andalus (Harvard University Press). They talk about how various groups such as feminists, Palestinians and directors making Ramadan soap-operas are all turning to the memory of al-Andalus and using it in different ways
The Op-Ed Novel - El País and Contemporary Spanish Literature
This week Eoghan is joined by Bécquer Seguín to talk about his new book 'The Op-Ed Novel'. The book examines how many of Spain's most renowned writers over the last thirty years have combined novel writing with publishing regular op-ed columns in El País.
As Almudena Grandes, Javier Cercas, Antonio Muñoz Molina, Fernando Aramburu and Javier Marías engaged in public debates about Spain
Spanish Politics: The Year in Review 2023
2023 was the year of Pedro Sánchez living dangerously - from July's surprise snap election to his wager on a Catalan amnesty law so as to secure a further term in office. Alan and Eoghan are joined by Professor Joe Haslam from IE business school to discuss the year's events.
The Podcast has grown so much in 2023 and we have released 25 episodes on topics ranging from Spain's general el
Spanish Cinema: Best Films of 2023
2023 has been another great year for Spanish cinema. Eoghan sits down with Anita Fuentes to discuss some of the best films coming out of Spain over the last 12 months, including: 20.000 especies de abejas, As bestas, Matria and Las chicas están bien. Anita also recommends Spanish series La Mesías.
The Podcast has grown so much in 2023 and we have released 26 episodes on topics ranging from Spain&
Spain's New Progressive Coalition Government!!!
After weeks of tension, uncertainty and violent protests, Spain has a new progressive coalition government as prime minister Pedro Sanchez won an investiture vote today in the Spanish parliament. Eoghan sat down with Sumar MP Txema Guijarro a few hours after the vote to discuss the events of recent weeks, the Catalan amnesty deal and where the country's left goes from here.
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Why the Spanish Catholic Church gets away with clergy sex abuse with Miguel Hurtado
Miguel Hurtado is a human rights activist and clergy sex abuse survivor. He sits down with Alan to discuss the recent report from the Spanish government that estimates 440,000 people in the country have been victims of sexual abuse by the Catholic church. They discuss the methodology and content of the report and later the reaction. They also discuss Spain's recent changes in child protection
Historic Amnesty Law for Catalunya
In today's episode Eoghan is joined by historian Andrew Dowling to discuss the ongoing efforts to form a government in Spain, with negotiations currently centred on the possibility of a sweeping amnesty law for the Catalan independence movement. Pro-independence Junts' pragmatic turn since September suggests a confidence and suppy deal can reached to give Pedro Sanchez 4 more years in Monc
The Playboy King: Juan Carlos and the Spanish Royal Family with James Badcock
Freelance journalist James Badcock has reported on the numerous scandals of Juan Carlos closely over the years from dodgy dealings to his mistresses. He has even interviewed Juan Carlos's ex-lover Corinna. James joins Alan to discuss Leonor's recent elevation to heiress, Felipe's battles and, of course, the playboy king himself. This is the sordid story of the modern Spanish Royal fami
Touristification in Barcelona with Carlos Delclós
Carlos Delclós is a Professor of Sociology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. He joins Alan to clarify what gentrification is and is not, what different types of gentrification there are and how they have had an effect on Spain's biggest city and tourist destination Barcelona.
Lisbon: Housing, Digital Nomads and Sandwiches with Joana Ramiro
Joana Ramiro joins Alan to discuss the changing cityscape of Lisbon and Porto. As a Portuguese journalist living in the UK, Joana was shocked when she went back to her home city for 6 months during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Following several articles on the changes taking place, specifically regarding housing, Joana sits down with Alan to explore the causes and responses to this simmering crisi
The Rubiales Case: Spain's World Cup Winners against the Patriarchy
This week Eoghan is joined by independent journalist Leah Pattem to discuss the fallout from Spanish Football Federation chief Luis Rubiales' alleged sexual assault of Jenni Hermoso at the World Cup final and why most international coverage is ignoring a crucial player in this story: Spain's powerful feminist movement.
Revisiting Al-Andalus with Mahmoud Hosny Roshdy
Mahmoud Roshdy joins Alan to discuss an alternative way of teaching and looking at the history of Arabic Spain. With 8oo years of history, this new approach makes for interesting listening when compared to the average history class.
Alan and Eoghan also discuss the Women's World Cup and what is happening politically after the elections.
Photo by Mahmoud Hosny Roshdy
The Two Contemporary Spains: Plurinationalism, Nostalgia and Vox
This week Eoghan sits down to talk to Dr. Brittany Kennedy from Tulane University about the two contemporary Spains. On August 17th the new speaker of the Spanish parliament recognised the right for MPs to intervene in the Congreso using the three minority languages of Spain: Catalan, Basque and Gallego - thus ensuring the state's democratic institutions better reflected the diverse and plurin
Spain After 23J
This week Eoghan is joined by Vicente Rubio-Pueyo to discuss how last month's general election results fit into the wider political context of Spanish politics since the 2008 financial crisis. Vicente also explains why he believes Pedro Sánchez can be compared to the figure of Adolfo Suárez in Spain's last conjunctural crisis during the country's transition to democracy.
Spanish Election Special!!!
Alan and Eoghan are joined by sociologist Carlos Delclós and journalist Tiare Gatti Mora to discuss the fallout from last Sunday's general election. The polls suggested a clear right-wing victory for PP and Vox but it never materialised. Now could we see a new progressive coalition or are we facing new elections by Christmas?
Spain's Election Is Too Close To Call
This week Alan and Eoghan are joined by political analyst Iago Moreno to discuss the pre-campaign to July's general election in Spain. They discuss Vox's particular brand of right-wing populism, Pedro Sanchez's attempts to regain momentum and Sumar's chances after a difficult left-unity deal. While the right currently have the edge in polls, it is far from clear if it can secure a
Spain's Surprise Snap Election!!!
After a sweeping right-wing victory in local and regional elections last Sunday, prime minister Pedro Sanchez called a surprise general election for July. Professor Andrew Dowling joins Alan and Eoghan to discuss the latest developments.
Spain's Struggle for the Right to Housing: From 15M to the Coalition's New Housing Law
With Spain's new housing law being approved in Congress last month, the current local and regional election campaign has come to be dominated by the question of housing. As rents continue to soar and a new generation of Spaniards find themselves locked out of home ownership, the left-wing coalition government are promising a raft of measures aimed at guarenteeing the right to housing. But in a
The Village Against the World: the story of Marinaleda and Juan Manuel Sanchez Gordillo with Dan Hancox
Dan Hancox joins Alan to discuss his 2013 book The Village Against the World.
10 years on prominent mayor Juan Manuel Sanchez Gordillo will not stand for re-election in 2023's local elections. He is standing down from his post after 44 years of public service. How did the village get here and where is it going? Alan and Dan discuss these questions and more in this episode of the Sobremesa P
From Podemos to Sumar: The Renewal of the Spanish Left
This week Eoghan speaks to political analyst Mario Ríos about the current reorganization of the Spanish left around deputy prime minister Yolanda
Díaz's new Sumar [Unite] platform and the divisions this is creating among the organizations within the current left space. Mario teaches political science at the University of Girona, is an advisor to Catalunya en Comú and a regular contributer to
How to Remember the International Brigades
This week Alan and Eoghan sit down with Jim Jump, Chair of the International Brigade Memorial Trust, to talk about his father's experience in the Brigades, the 85th anniversary of the Battle of the Ebro and why he thinks the story of the international volunteers who went to Spain in the 1930s still fascinate and resonate today. They also discuss the work of the IBMT.
How Antoni Gaudí Turned Me into an Anarchist: Architecture and Class in Barcelona
This week's guest is writer, historian and guide Catherine Howley. Catherine runs the Spanish Civil War Walking Museum tours with Nick Lloyd in Barcelona and has written extensively on Barcelona's architecture and working-class history. In this episode she talks to Eoghan about the historicial context in which Antoni Gaudí designed his iconic buildings in the city and how that context and
An Introduction to Spanish Film with Steven Marsh
Steven Marsh joins Alan to give an overview of Spanish film. They touch on the autobiographical film written by Franco, how Ken Loach inspired 90's cinema and the legacies of prominent Spanish directors such as Pedro Almodóvar and the late Carlos Saura.
Originally from the UK Steven Marsh is a specialist on Spanish film. Before coming to the US he lived in Madrid for many years. He is the author o
