"Catalan is…" The discourse on immigration and national identity during the Franco regime: Francesc Candel and Jordi Pujol

Abstract

In Catalonia, during the Franco regime, a new discourse on immigration took shape, coinciding in time with the second big migratory wave (1950-1976) from the rest of Spain. In the formulation of this discourse two principal figures, recognised
for their political positions standout: on the right the politician Jordi Pujol, and on the left the writer Francesc Candel. This article analyses the resulting discourses – genesis, contents and mutual influences–, together with the criticism received from political and academic sectors. The main contributions of this discourse have been: 1) to internalise immigration in the national definition of Catalonia; 2) influence for policy makers in the Autonomous government; and, 3) to anticipate a specific way of gaining in deeper understanding of Catalan identity and the lives of migrants by reading their life stories.

Key words: Demography, Migration, Integration, Franco’s regime, Catalonia.