This thesis describes history of Catalan nationalism and analyzes the motives that lead to separatist tendencies in Catalonia. It also focuses on the impact of devolution and separation on Catalonia and Spain. Catalans are a historic nation with their own language and traditions. Since the establishment of the Kingdom of Spain they have sought a greater autonomy within pluralistic Spain until now. In the history, they experienced numerous efforts of assimilation and suppression, mostly during the dictatorship of General Franco. But the Catalans defended their uniqueness and during the transition to democracy and with the new Constitution of 1978, they gained considerable portion of autonomy. In the history, Catalans did not demand independence, they wanted to be part of the federal Spain. However, due to the economic crisis and the rejection of the greater autonomy, Catalan nationalism converted to separatism.

The diploma theses analyzes the influence of global economic crisis on Spanish tourism. The aim of the theses is to evaluate development of tourism in Catalonia after the global economic crisis. Firstly, the theses deals with the current economic situation in Spain and it's impact on tourism. The next part of theses is focused on economic situation and tourism of Catalonia. The impact of the crisis is demonstrated on international arrivals and revenues, hotel occupancy, number of overnights and employement. In conclusion, the theses focuses on the development opportunities of the Catalan tourism in the future.

This thesis focuses on the management of the four-star hotel in Catalonia, Spain. It mostly analyses marketing management and revenue management indicators. The main objective of the thesis is to find out the problems in management procedure and suggest measures and solutions that could repair the economic damage the business has suffered, with the objective of being profitable. The first part provides a theoretical point of view of the hotel management. The second part is a comparative of the Spanish, and more specific, Catalonian tourism and hospitality industry market, giving also specific characteristics of the hotel. The practical part contains the analyses of the hotel management indicators, the marketing mix and the situation on the local market. The final chapter shows de outcomes of the analysis and contains recommendations to improve the actual management.

Support for the creation of an independent Catalan state has increased significantly during the past two decades. In 2017, an estimated 40.2 percent of the total Catalan population supported the creation of an independent Catalonia. The road towards independence has shown to be filled with legal obstacles. While the separatists tend to base their demand for independence on a supposed “right to self-determination” and a “right to decide”, the meaning and effects of invoking these “rights” can be questioned. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the legal possibilities of forming an independent Catalan state based on these commonly invoked rights. With regard to self-determination, this thesis concludes that all peoples have a right to self-determination, but this right does not necessarily entail a right to secession. Only under grave circumstances can self-determination lead to secession. The Catalans are not in such a situation and cannot therefore successfully claim that their right to self-determination entails a right to secede from Spain. As to a “right to decide”, the right as such exists neither within international law nor Spanish national law. This right can be broken down into two parts: The possibility to hold a referendum on independence and the possibility to declare independence based on the referendum. The thesis concludes that despite a referendum being complicated, but not impossible, to organise based on the Spanish Constitution, the Catalans can organise such a referendum based on international human rights law. The Catalans can also unilaterally declare independence since there is no explicit prohibition against doing so. Finally, the thesis discusses the issue of international recognition. Catalonia is unlikely to receive international recognition under the current circumstances. The thesis then concludes that even though the Catalans do not have a right to self-determination in the form of secession, they could organise a referendum and unilaterally declare independence. Such a declaration will however have no effect in practice without recognition from the international community. / El apoyo a la creación de un estado catalán independiente ha incrementado considerablemente en las últimas dos décadas. En 2017, se estimaba que un 40,2 por ciento de la población catalana apoyaba la creación de una Cataluña independiente. El camino hacia la independencia ha demostrado varios obstáculos jurídicos. Las personas que abogan por esta independencia, tienden a fundar su anhelo de establecer una Cataluña independiente apoyándose en un “derecho a la autodeterminación” y un “derecho a decidir”. El significado y los efectos de invocar estos “derechos” pueden ser cuestionados. El objetivo de esta tesis es investigar las posibilidades e incertidumbres legales que podrían conllevar el crear una Cataluña independiente protegiéndose en estos derechos. Con respecto a la autodeterminación, esta tesis concluye que todos los pueblos tienen un derecho a la autodeterminación, pero este derecho no implica un derecho a la secesión. El derecho a la autodeterminación sólo puede implicar un derecho a la secesión bajo circunstancias graves. Hoy en día los catalanes no se encuentran en una situación de tal gravedad, es por ello que el derecho a la autodeterminación no les da un derecho a la secesión de España unilateralmente. El “derecho a decidir” no existe en el orden jurídico español ni en el nivel internacional. Sin embargo, este derecho puede ser dividido en dos partes: La posibilidad de organizar un referéndum, y la posibilidad de unilateralmente declarar independencia según el resultado del referéndum. Esta tesis concluye que, a pesar de que un referéndum es complicado, no sería imposible organizar uno según la constitución española. Es por ello que la población catalana que aboga por la independencia, podrían organizar un referéndum apoyándose en derechos humanos internacionales. Los catalanes también pueden unilateralmente declarar la independencia, porque no hay ninguna prohibición explicita contra una declaración de independencia. Para finalizar, la tesis examina el tema de reconocimiento internacional. Es improbable que Cataluña obtenga reconocimiento internacional como un estado independiente. La tesis concluye que, a pesar de no disfrutar de un derecho a la autodeterminación, los catalanes podrían organizar un referéndum y unilateralmente declarar la independencia. Pero, en todo caso, sería una declaración vacía de contenido y no tendría ningún efecto sin un reconocimiento de la comunidad internacional. / El suport a la creació d’un estat català independent ha incrementat considerablement les últimes dues dècades. El 2017, s’estimava que el 40,2% de la població catalana va donar suport a la creació d’una Catalunya independent. El camí cap a la independència s’ha topat diversos obstacles jurídics. Les persones que advoquen per aquesta independència, tendeixen a fundar el seu anhel d’establir una Catalunya independent en un “dret a l’autodeterminació” i un “dret a decidir”. El significat i els efectes d’invocar aquests “drets” es poden qüestionar. L’objectiu d’aquesta tesi és investigar les possibilitats i incerteses legals que podria comportar el fet de crear una Catalunya independent protegida per aquests drets. Pel que fa a l’autodeterminació, aquesta tesi conclou que tots els pobles tenen un dret a l’autodeterminació, però aquest dret no implica un dret a la secessió. El dret a l’autodeterminació només pot implicar un dret a la secessió sota circumstàncies greus. Avui dia, la població catalana que advoca per la independència no es troba en una situació d’aquesta gravetat, és per això que el dret a l’autodeterminació no els dona un dret a la secessió d’Espanya unilateralment. Pel que fa al “dret a decidir”, aquest dret no existeix en l’ordre jurídic espanyol ni en l’àmbit internacional. No obstant, aquest dret pot dividir en dues parts: la possibilitat d’organitzar un referèndum, i la possibilitat d’unilateralment declarar la independència segons el resultat del referèndum. Aquesta tesi conclou que, tot i que un referèndum és complicat, no seria impossible organitzar-ne un segons la constitució espanyola. És per això que els catalans podrien organitzar un referèndum basant-se en drets humans internacionals. Els catalans també podrien unilateralment declarar la independència, perquè no hi ha cap prohibició explícita contra una declaració d’independència. Per finalitzar, la tesi examina el tema del reconeixement internacional. És improbable que Catalunya obtingui reconeixement com a un estat independent de la comunitat internacional. La tesi conclou que els catalans, malgrat no tenir un dret a l’autodeterminació, podrien organitzar un referèndum i podrien unilateralment declarar la independència. Però, en tot cas, seria una declaració buida de contingut i no tindria cap efecte sense un reconeixement de la comunitat internacional.

Interrelation between sports and politics in the specific case of the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992 offers a wide range of opportunities to strengthen nationalist tendencies of the Catalan society. This thesis examines how the organization of this event affected the development of Catalan nationalistic discourse of political parties. These changes are analysed on two levels. The first level is the evolution over time - the thesis compares the periods before and after the Olympics and looks at trends across each period. The second level is the development in the level of debate - the thesis looks at the category of political parties, at the category of Catalan politics and at the category of the Spanish nationwide politics, while it analyses the moves of the topics and trends across the levels. Thus, the thesis examines trends of the political discourse in the electoral programs, in speeches at annual meetings at the level of the Catalan parliament and in speeches at annual meetings at the level of national Spanish Parliament. The basic parameters of the research work are themes of language policy, cultural policy, the issue of state structure juristic reform, linguistic forms of the discourses and relation to the Olympic Games. The main basis of this work is the contribution of sporting events...

This thesis is looking at analysis of current level of digital transformation in companies from two geographical areas: Catalunya and the rest of Spain. In order to compare data obtained in same way, a concept of simple digital index needed to be designed. This index was calculated and used on companies from both geographical areas, followed by further analysis of individual index determinants.

The thesis deals with the issue of dual criminality test under the European arrest warrant. The aim of the thesis is to analyze the way of applying the dual criminality test between the Member States of the European Union while surrendering persons. It focuses on the European arrest warrants issued against Catalan politicians in relation to the Catalan referendum regarding the independence from the Kingdom of Spain and the subsequent decisions of the Belgian and German courts. The thesis is divided into seven parts. The first part introduces the dual criminality test, including the methods of interpretation or its problematic aspects. The second part summarizes the long-standing genesis of judicial cooperation in criminal matters at the European level, leading to the adoption of the European arrest warrant, which will enable a better understanding of the continuing will to apply the dual criminality test. The provisions of the European arrest warrant are discussed in the following part. The case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union concerning the dual criminality test is introduced as well. As the thesis is set in the context of the Catalan crisis, the fourth part highlights the key moments, adopted legal acts and the acts of the main protagonists of the case, which not only led to the...

Europe is not as calm as one might think. There are currently several secessionist struggles that are ongoing in the region and in this thesis three of them will be researched. This thesis has investigated the biggest democratically elected actor that wants secession in Flanders, Catalonia and Scotland. This has been done by questioning how they argue for their secession and how these arguments relate to different approaches to legitimize secession. These approaches being the remedial approach, the free choice approach, the functional approach, the exit approach and the anti-theory approach. This was performed by using a qualitative content analysis. With this method I created an analytical scheme which was applied to the arguments in order to sort them into the scheme. The arguments used by the actors were pluralistic, relating to democracy, nationalism, administration, governance, economy, grievance and history. This proved that the actors are much more pluralistic than what theory could handle hence, none of the actors fit to either one of the approaches as they argued in a multitude of different ways. In addition to this, I was also able to show that against theoretical assumptions these secessionist actors didn’t favour external legitimacy. Even though this is argued by some to be most important for secessionist groups to gain independence. In the end the implications of this thesis are that secessionist actors are incredibly pluralistic, and it is quite hard for theory to fully capture this plurality. Hence, secessionist theory gives a very incomplete picture of how secessionist actors try to legitimize their secession.

In the Spanish region of Catalonia, the overriding political issue during more than adecade has been the conflict concerning the region’s aspirations for independence. Inpolitical science research, the withdrawal of a region from a state is called secession.This phenomenon highlights the conflict between peoples’ and nations right to selfdeterminationand the right of states to protect their borders and defend the nationalunity. This case study focuses on the supporters of Catalan independence and the aimof the study is to better understand the Catalan independence movement’s view on theconflict between self-determination and state sovereignty. The study investigates whyCatalonia has the right to become an independent state according to the independentmovement, what alternative ways Catalonia has toward independence and whatstrategies the independence movement makes use of. The study uses both textanalysis and qualitative interviews to respond the questions. The study shows thatthere are two main alternatives for the independence movement. One is a referendumaccepted by the Spanish state as a result of dialogue and negotiation, the other wayis to reach independence through a unilateral declaration of independence and the useof civil disobedience.

The relation between the Catalan nationalist forces as well as the other sub-nationalisms and the Spanish Government has been a matter discussed throughout all the Spanish democracy. In recent years the challenge to the Spanish state set by the Catalan government when taking a unilateral approach on Independence has resulted in the imprisonment and exile of political leaders. The aim of this thesis is to analyse the events that occurred in Catalonia after the Catalan elections of 2015 and the unilateral approach on self-determination taken by the Catalan Autonomous Government with the promise of a binding referendum. The laws passed by the Catalan government which were rejected by the Constitutional Court, as the law itself denied the authority of the Constitutional Court and declared independence. This resulted in the application of the 155th article of the Spanish Constitution, suspending autonomous government, to enforce the Constitutional Court’s resolutions by the Spanish government. The essay will focus on the discourses given by politicians to criticize or justify these actions, analysed through theoretical and political normative perspectives.