Welcome to Your New Home
History That Shapes Today
In this module you will learn:
- Key moments in the history of Spain, Ireland, and Portugal.
- How our history influences culture, laws, and everyday life.
- The history of immigration and multicultural society.
We will reflect on how history influences the culture, laws, and everyday life of these countries—from deeply rooted traditions and political structures to social norms and ways of living that still persist today.
You will also learn about the history of immigration and the evolution towards multicultural societies, analysing how the arrival of new communities has transformed cities, enriched customs, and brought about new challenges and opportunities for integration.
All of this will help you better understand the social context of each country, identify the values that guide its people, and navigate your experience in Spain, Ireland, or Portugal with greater empathy and awareness.
Today, Spain, Ireland, and Portugal are countries with great cultural diversity. But this was not always the case. All of them have been, at some point, countries of emigration, and this has shaped the way they welcome those arriving from abroad.
In Spain, people emigrated to other countries for a long time, but since the 1990s, it has become a country that receives immigrants, especially from Latin America, Africa, and Eastern Europe.
Ireland shifted from being a country of emigrants to receiving migrant populations, especially since the early 2000s. Today, many young people from different cultures and nationalities live and work in Ireland. In fact, its policies are very active in promoting and supporting their integration.
Portugal also experienced strong emigration in the past. Nowadays, there are well-established communities from countries such as Brazil, Lusophone Africa, Asia, and other European countries. Portuguese society is increasingly open to diversity.
