Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Latin America

Abstract

Spain’s transition to democracy following the death of Francisco Franco in 1975 prioritized political stability and national reconciliation through the “Pacto del Olvido” (“Pact of Forgetting”), limited public confrontation with the authoritarian legacies of Francoism. This paper examines how unresolved historical memory and nationalist narratives continue to shape contemporary immigration discourse in Spain, particularly through the rise of the far-right political party VOX. Drawing on scholarship surrounding nationalism, historical memory, immigration, and right-wing populism, this study argues that elements of Francoist nationalism persist within contemporary political discourse through narratives emphasizing national unity, cultural cohesion, and territorial defense. Using qualitative discourse analysis alongside semi-structured interviews with immigrants living in Spain, this paper analyzes how immigration is framed through unequal hierarchies of cultural belonging. These findings demonstrate that Latin American migrants are more frequently perceived as culturally compatible due to shared language, religion, and historical ties, while North African and Muslim migrants are more commonly associated with insecurity, cultural threat, and social exclusion. These distinctions reflect broader historical understandings of Spanish identity rooted in Catholic nationalism, colonial memory, and narratives of cultural homogeneity. Ultimately, this paper argues that contemporary immigration debates in Spain are not solely shaped by economic or political concerns, but by unresolved struggles over national identity, historical memory, and the boundaries of belonging within democratic Spain.

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