Capital de provincia

138 x 210 mm
144 pages
Design: Setanta

Premio FAD de pensamiento y crítica 2022

Between the large cities and rural picturesque landscapes lies a set of urban centers that seem to exist in no man's land. Provincial capitals often hide behind a rich historical legacy to avoid confronting an uncertain future. Victims of state centralism, institutional detachment, and civic disillusionment, this network of cities that upholds the country’s map is in greater need of attention and policy than ever.

Is the medium-sized city still a viable option? Can we update its 19th-century structures and build environments that are socially and environmentally sustainable? The author turns to his hometown, his family’s memory, and art and architecture to delve into these capitals, their urbanism, and their evolution. "I cannot separate any analysis from a specific place or from my own subjectivity: Cáceres, a peripheral city in an equally peripheral region. A perfect laboratory to pose questions with global reach."

These pages, far from academic, advocate for a city model capable of shaking off intellectual laziness, of moving beyond the idea of culture as merely a tourist attraction and a trigger for real estate operations; they call for a citizen who imagines and builds their own narratives. Let being from the provinces become a privileged position for observation, reflection, and action. A proposal to embrace decentralization with the immense capital that the province provides.

Carlos Romero Rey (Cáceres, 1973) holds a PhD in Law and is a magistrate. His thesis focused on different ways of creating cities, and he has dedicated a significant part of his professional career to urbanism. In parallel, he has taught at the Universidad Carlos III of Madrid and other institutions, and has developed an intense curatorial and editorial practice.