The aims of this investigation are:
1) To understand the scope and evolution of initiatives of a regionalist basis integrated or tolerated by Francoism. To explore in-depth the strategies of legitimacy of regionalism in the ideological frameworks defined by the New State, and to analyse its temporary evolution, by building a theoretical framework, which situates these regionalist practices (developed between 1939 and 1975) in a long-term perspective from the liberal revolution to the present time.
2) To describe and analyze how the main projects of a regionalist nature where articulated, which actors promoted and drove them, what were the alliances they had within the regime at a national and local level and how they were socially backed. We will devote a special attention to political initiatives such as: Catalan civil law defence, promotion and participation of economic liberalisation programmes, and institutional developments related to the Barcelona status as capital.
3) To establish which cultural discourses and practices –oftentimes related to pre-war programmes– were developed from official or paraofficial spheres, with the goal of legitimizing the aforementioned political initiatives.