Coexistence in Modern Spain (AQA A-Level Spanish): Revision Notes
Coexistence in Modern Spain
Introduction
Modern Spain is a multicultural society where different social groups and immigrant communities live together. Understanding how integration and coexistence work in contemporary Spain is essential for grasping the country's social dynamics. This note focuses particularly on the Roma community (gitanos y gitanas) as a key example of the challenges and progress in achieving genuine coexistence.
Spain has experienced significant immigration over recent decades, with people arriving from Latin America, North Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia. This diversity has enriched Spanish culture but has also presented challenges in terms of integration, equal opportunities, and combating discrimination.
The Roma community serves as an important case study because they have been part of Spanish society for centuries, yet still face significant integration challenges. Their experience highlights both the progress made and the work still needed for true coexistence.
The Roma community in modern Spain
The Roma people have a long history in Spain, having arrived on the Iberian Peninsula centuries ago. They have contributed significantly to Spanish culture through flamenco music, language, literature, and other arts. However, despite improvements in recent years, Roma people continue to face situations that are not adequately addressed by society.
Education
Three decades ago, it was difficult for Roma children to access education, but nowadays this right is guaranteed by Spanish law. Many Roma people are now enrolled in schools, which have become ideal spaces for sharing cultures. Adult Roma, particularly women, are also working to improve their literacy levels.
Critical Educational Challenge
Spain is still far from achieving full educational normalisation for Roma students. A concerning statistic shows that only 20% of Roma students who begin secondary education actually complete it. This represents a significant challenge that needs addressing to ensure equal opportunities.
Employment
Today there are Roma men and women working in all types of professions, including highly qualified positions. However, a very high percentage experiences unemployment rates that far exceed those of the general population. Many Roma people are relegated to informal economic activities and face long periods without work. This employment gap is one of the most pressing issues affecting the community.
The employment disparity affects not just individual families but perpetuates cycles of poverty and limits opportunities for future generations. Addressing this requires both combating discrimination in hiring practices and providing access to education and training.
Housing
Currently, there are shanty towns inhabited by Roma people, and around 4% of Roma families live in substandard housing or segregated areas. Additionally, 12% live in spaces that do not meet adequate conditions. In many cases, these are isolated settlements far from cities, which also restrict access to opportunities.
Unacceptable Living Conditions
People live in intolerable and unjustifiable conditions for a country with Spain's level of development. The real problem is that many Roma families refuse to abandon these areas, often due to complex factors including community ties, fear of discrimination in mainstream neighborhoods, and lack of affordable alternatives.
Social image and discrimination
The negative image of the Roma community persists in mainstream society, with beliefs and prejudices derived from clearly discriminatory attitudes. This continues to be one of the main obstacles preventing Roma people from fully exercising their citizenship rights.
Despite significant progress in recent years in promoting the Roma community socially, this negative stigmatising image remains strongly rooted across all social layers. Eliminating this negative perception and the associated discrimination is crucial for achieving genuine coexistence.
Breaking the Cycle of Discrimination
Discrimination creates a vicious cycle: negative stereotypes lead to exclusion from opportunities, which in turn reinforces poverty and marginalization, which then perpetuates the stereotypes. Breaking this cycle requires conscious effort from both institutions and individuals.
Key vocabulary: Immigration and integration
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la convivencia | coexistence |
| la integración | integration |
| los inmigrantes | immigrants |
| los gitanos/las gitanas | Roma people (masculine/feminine) |
| la discriminación | discrimination |
| el prejuicio | prejudice |
| la población | population |
| la multiculturalidad | multiculturalism |
| foráneo/a | foreign |
| incorporar | to incorporate |
| acoger | to welcome |
| rechazar | to reject |
| la procedencia | origin |
| la tolerancia | tolerance |
Example Sentences in Context:
- La convivencia entre diferentes culturas es fundamental para una sociedad próspera. (Coexistence between different cultures is fundamental for a prosperous society.)
- Los inmigrantes contribuyen enormemente a la economía española. (Immigrants contribute enormously to the Spanish economy.)
- Es necesario combatir la discriminación en todas sus formas. (It is necessary to combat discrimination in all its forms.)
- La integración de las comunidades requiere esfuerzo por ambas partes. (The integration of communities requires effort from both sides.)
Vocabulary: Social challenges
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el fracaso escolar | school failure |
| el desempleo | unemployment |
| la vivienda | housing |
| las chabolas | shanty towns |
| infravivienda | substandard housing |
| segregado/a | segregated |
| injustificable | unjustifiable |
| el alojamiento | accommodation |
| las condiciones | conditions |
| el nivel de desarrollo | level of development |
| la imagen negativa | negative image |
| estigmatizar | to stigmatise |
| arraigado/a | deep-rooted |
| el obstáculo | obstacle |
Example Sentences in Context:
- El fracaso escolar sigue siendo un problema entre la comunidad gitana. (School failure continues to be a problem among the Roma community.)
- Muchas familias viven en chabolas sin acceso a servicios básicos. (Many families live in shanty towns without access to basic services.)
- La imagen negativa impide el pleno ejercicio de la ciudadanía. (The negative image prevents the full exercise of citizenship.)
- Las tasas de desempleo son más altas en ciertos grupos sociales. (Unemployment rates are higher in certain social groups.)
Grammar focus: Active and passive voice
Understanding how to use active and passive constructions is important when discussing social issues, as passive structures are commonly used in formal Spanish writing.
The active voice (la voz activa)
In the active voice, the subject performs the action. This is the most direct way of expressing ideas.
Active Voice Example:
Los españoles acogieron bien a los gitanos. (The Spanish people welcomed the Roma people well.)
In this sentence, "los españoles" (the Spanish people) actively perform the action of welcoming.
The passive voice with ser (la voz pasiva con ser)
The passive voice with ser is formed using: ser + past participle
The past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject.
Passive Voice with ser Examples:
- Los gitanos fueron bien acogidos por los españoles. (The Roma people were welcomed well by the Spanish people.)
- Las leyes españolas fueron aprobadas ayer. (The Spanish laws were approved yesterday.)
- Estas páginas han sido escritas por un gitano. (These pages have been written by a Roma person.)
Notice how the past participles (acogidos, aprobadas, escritas) agree with their subjects in gender and number.
The reflexive passive with se (la pasiva refleja con se)
The reflexive passive is very common in Spanish and is formed using: se + verb (third person)
This construction is impersonal and doesn't specify who performs the action. It's equivalent to passive constructions in English.
Reflexive Passive with se Examples:
- No eran rechazados por los campesinos sino que se les miraba con simpatía. (They weren't rejected by the peasants; rather, they were looked upon with sympathy.)
- Se vendió el piso en noviembre. (The flat was sold in November.)
- Se han convertido los centros educativos en lugares idóneos. (The educational centres have been turned into ideal places.)
Key Difference Between Passive Forms:
The reflexive passive with se is more impersonal than the passive with ser. Compare:
- El piso fue vendido (passive with ser - more formal, agent could be specified: "fue vendido por Juan")
- Se vendió el piso (reflexive passive - impersonal, no agent specified)
Use ser + past participle when you want to emphasize who performed the action. Use se + verb when the action is more important than who did it.
Pronunciation tip
Pronouncing "gitanos"
When pronouncing "gitanos," remember that the 'g' before 'i' is pronounced like the 'h' in "hello" (a soft sound from the back of the throat): hee-TAH-nos. The stress falls on the second syllable.
Vocabulary: Culture and diversity
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| la diversidad | diversity |
| el grupo étnico | ethnic group |
| la variedad | variety |
| la procedencia | origin/background |
| los elementos culturales | cultural elements |
| las aportaciones | contributions |
| el paisaje cultural | cultural landscape |
| el choque cultural | culture shock |
| las costumbres | customs |
| la ciudadanía | citizenship |
| pleno/a | full |
| compartir | to share |
| enriquecer | to enrich |
| convivir | to live together |
Example Sentences in Context:
- La diversidad de grupos étnicos ha enriquecido la cultura española. (The diversity of ethnic groups has enriched Spanish culture.)
- Los inmigrantes han realizado importantes aportaciones en lengua, comercio y música. (Immigrants have made important contributions in language, commerce and music.)
- Es importante compartir culturas en los centros educativos. (It is important to share cultures in educational centres.)
- Si vas de paseo por cualquier pueblo español, notarás la diversidad enorme. (If you go for a walk through any Spanish town, you will notice the enormous diversity.)
Multiculturalism in contemporary Spain
Modern Spain has become increasingly multicultural, particularly in large cities and certain autonomous regions. Immigrants have settled in various parts of Spain, with higher concentrations in urban areas and tourist regions.
In certain Spanish provinces, there are more immigrants than in others, and the cultural landscape has changed considerably. Approximately one-third of the population in some areas is foreign. This multiculturalism is very evident in cities like Barcelona, Madrid, and coastal regions.
Spanish people now have new schools, greater multiculturalism, but also face new challenges. When walking through any Spanish town, you will notice enormous diversity and may experience some degree of culture shock. This diversity presents both opportunities and challenges for social cohesion.
Common mistakes and tips
Mistake 1: Confusing ser passive and se passive
- Incorrect: La casa se fue vendida ❌
- Correct: La casa fue vendida ✓ or Se vendió la casa ✓
Tip: Use ser + past participle when you want to emphasise the passive action formally, especially when mentioning who did it. Use se + verb for impersonal passive statements.
Mistake 2: Forgetting agreement with passive voice
- Incorrect: Las leyes fueron aprobado ❌
- Correct: Las leyes fueron aprobadas ✓
Tip: The past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject in passive constructions with ser.
Mistake 3: Using the wrong term for Roma people
The correct terms are "gitanos" (masculine) or "gitanas" (feminine). Avoid outdated or offensive terms.
Mistake 4: Mixing up la convivencia and la vivienda
- La convivencia = coexistence, living together
- La vivienda = housing, dwelling
Pronunciation tip: In convivencia, stress falls on the third syllable from the end: con-vi-VEN-cia. In vivienda, stress falls on the second syllable from the end: vi-VIEN-da.
Mistake 5: Forgetting se in reflexive passive
- Incorrect: Vendió el piso en noviembre (This means "He/she sold the flat") ❌
- Correct: Se vendió el piso en noviembre (The flat was sold in November) ✓
Tip: Remember that se is essential for the impersonal passive meaning.
Summary
Key Points to Remember:
-
Modern Spain is a multicultural society where different communities, including long-established Roma people and recent immigrants, live together with varying degrees of integration.
-
The Roma community has contributed significantly to Spanish culture but continues to face challenges in:
- Education: Only 20% complete secondary education
- Employment: Higher unemployment rates
- Housing: Some living in substandard conditions
- Social perception: Persistent negative stereotypes
-
The passive voice is commonly used when discussing social issues in Spanish. You can form it using:
- ser + past participle (more formal, can specify agent)
- Reflexive passive with se + verb (more impersonal)
-
Integration and genuine coexistence require combating discrimination and prejudice, ensuring equal opportunities, and promoting mutual understanding between different cultural groups.
-
When writing about social issues, use accurate terminology: la convivencia (coexistence), la integración (integration), la discriminación (discrimination), and always ensure past participles agree with their subjects in passive constructions.