The Cañada Blanch Centre for Contemporary Spanish Studies is located within the European Institute at the London School of Economics and Political Science and is focus of a flourishing interest in contemporary Spain in Britain.
The Centre was created as part of the agreement signed by the Anglo-Spanish Cultural Foundation (Founder Vicente Cañada Blanch) and the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1993. The following year the LSE appointed Paul Preston, Príncipe de Asturias Professor for Contemporary Spanish Studies, as Director of the Centre, a position that he has held ever since. The principal aim of the Centre is to promote research and teaching on the contemporary history, economy, social policy, politics, sociology and culture of Spain and its autonomous regions, particularly the Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia and Valencia.
The Centre organizes different events and has an exciting range of publications in the form of a series of books as well as articles in peer-reviewed journals on the history, politics, society and economy of Spain.
The Centre also possesses considerable library and archival resources for specialists in contemporary Spain. Its permanent and visiting staff have expertise in the history, politics, economics and social policy of Spain. A team of both doctoral and post-doctoral scholars is based in the Centre. Distinguished scholars who come as Visiting Fellows are offered the facilities of the London School of Economics through the Centre.
Thanks to the support of the Fundadión Cañada Blanch of Valencia and the regional governments of Catalonia, Galicia, and the Basque Country, the Centre offers optimum facilities for research and teaching, which it is hoped will contribute to the deeper understanding of all aspects of contemporary Spain as well as the Spanish dimension of the political economy of European integration.