Symbol and Ritual in the New Spain

"Laura Desfor Edles' cultural analysis of the Spanish transition is absolutely pertinent and accurate because it focuses on the symbolic transformation fundamental to reaching democracy despite a split in collective memory. Dr. Edles' book never misses a theoretical reference, which makes it a brilliant contribution to transition theory. It is a well-documented work which follows the ritual process of the establishment of democracy in Spain by means of a detailed analysis of the printed media. Undoubtedly, this is an indispensable book to understanding the Spanish transition." Alfonso Perez-Agote, University of the Basque Country

• Part I. Interpreting the Spanish Transition to Democracy: 1. Introduction; 2. Theories of transition and transitions in theory; 3. Spain: a history of divisions and democracy; Part II. The Symbolic Basis of Spanish Consensus: 4. The spirit of consensus: the core representations of the Spanish transition; 5. The curtain rises: the first democratic elections; 6. The 1977 Moncloa pacts and ritualization of communality; Part III. Conflict and Consensus in the Institutionalization of Spanish Democracy: 7. Democratic reaggregation and the 1978 Constitution; 8. The Basque exception: questions of communality and democracy; 9. Conclusion and epilogue.