Narratives of democracy: a comparative study of how Spain and Portugal teach their transitions

Abstract

Transitions from dictatorship to democracy in Spain and Portugal reveal how schools confront authoritarian pasts and shape civic identities. Drawing on teachers' perspectives, this study compares curriculum focus, pedagogical strategies, and treatment of controversial issues. In Spain, the transition is taught superficially, limited by textbook dependency and idealised narratives of consensus. In Portugal, it benefits from stronger curricular integration and commemorative practices around the Carnation Revolution. Despite differences, both contexts need deeper critical engagement, multiperspectivity, and active methodologies linking past democratic experiences with present civic challenges to strengthen democratic education across the Iberian Peninsula