How did you learn about the RCCH?

A few months after defending my doctoral thesis, which I wrote as part of the doctoral program at the Institute of Human Rights of the Universitat de València, I received an email from Manuel Guillén, UV representative at the RCCH, at the suggestion of Guillermo Palao, then Vice-Principal for Internationalization and Cooperation. In this message, Manuel told me that he had contacted those who were eligible for a RCCH fellowship for having recently completed their doctoral program. This 2+2 fellowship, which was announced at the time, funds a two-year research stay at Harvard. After this period, the Universitat de València commits to re-integrating the selected researcher into the UV for two more years in the third academic year. Manuel and Guillermo not only made the effort to write the candidates, but also to call us to clarify all our doubts, which was a great help from the beginning.

What made you apply for the RCCH 2+2 Postdoctoral Fellowship?

Having the opportunity to spend an extended period of time at one of the most prestigious universities in the world is a privilege and a unique experience. Moreover, my doctoral thesis focuses on an area of study that’s been particularly developed in the United States, and some of the leading researchers in this field include professors from Harvard Law School. The opportunity to return to my home department at the UV for two years is—in the words of Marlon Brando—a hard opportunity to turn down. I didn’t think much about it and decided to pursue this extraordinary opportunity that the UV gave me. By being accepted as a Visiting Researcher at the Institute for Global Law and Policy of the Harvard Law School, I was finally able to receive the 2+2 fellowship.

Could you tell us the main points of your thesis or postdoctoral research?

In my doctoral thesis, I studied the variables that influence the initiation of a process of constitutional change and all the paths and options that, from a democratic point of view, may be chosen at any moment of the process. In addition, I wanted to show, among other things, that a constitution is characterized not only by being a set of fundamental norms that guide a legal system and in which, according to the famous formulation of Article 16 of the Declaration of the Rights of the Man and of the Citizen of 1789, the rights established therein are guaranteed and a real separation of powers is instituted. In my view, a constitution, in order to be such, requires a democratic and participatory process in which the maxim that a constitution is an agreement of society on how the State should be governed can be made. The democratic legitimacy of a constitution’s origin is, in short, a feature that determines what is to be understood as a constitution.

This key point is not shared by an important part of Spanish doctrine. However, if we study the origins of constitutionalism in the USA—and especially in the state of Massachusetts, where Harvard University is located—or the ways in which constitutional reform proceeds in the USA, we can clearly see the central importance of the process of constitutional formation itself. Therefore, in order to deepen the study I began in my doctoral thesis and to strengthen my approaches, I’m studying constitutional processes prior to the USA constitution and the mechanisms of constitutional change in American states.

To complement my research and to take advantage of the opportunity to be in Boston, I’ve also begun to study the forms of direct democracy in New England. 

With the same idea of contributing to solve the crisis of representation and democratic legitimacy in Spain and the European Union, I’ve also presented papers on the design of an eventual constituent process in Europe, the new regulation of the European Citizens’ Initiative, and the reform of Part X of the Spanish Constitution.

How did your stay at the RCCH contribute to your research?

The RCCH is one of the gateways to Harvard for researchers from affiliated universities, such as the Universitat de València. I think we’re fortunate to have such an institution, which is not available to the rest of our European colleagues. Without the efforts of its management and the UV representative at the RCCH, who were always attentive and ready to help us, and without the important economic cooperation of the RCCH member universities, it would’ve been impossible for me to afford a two-year research stay at the Harvard research institute which accepted me as a Visiting Researcher. In this sense, I feel extremely privileged and grateful to the Universitat de València and the RCCH for giving me the opportunity to move to one of the best research centers in the world.

At the RCCH, there are daily academic activities of interest and it’s easy for Spanish researchers to actively participate in them, either by having the opportunity to give a seminar or by coordinating a study group. This allows you to participate in the activities of other Harvard researchers and to exchange views on your work, which is always very enriching.

You’ve been at Harvard for more than a year now. Tell us briefly what has been the best part of your stay.

My experience as a Visiting Researcher at the Institute for Global Law and Policy at Harvard Law School has been extremely beneficial for my research. First of all, because of the opportunities it’s given me in terms of access to resources, meeting researchers from all over the world, and having the chance to talk to some of the professors I was studying—it’s amazing how accessible they are! This allowed me to build an important network, which wasn’t only useful for me, but also for the UV. 

And the hardest part so far?

Going abroad inevitably comes with a number of headaches. The cumbersome bureaucracy of getting a visa and especially finding an apartment are time-consuming processes. What’s more, in the specific case of Boston, I’d bet that a good number of Spaniards—especially those from warmer areas like me—would agree that winters are long and quite cold. I remember Spanish food almost as much as I remember my family and friends. And, of course, Valencia. I’m looking forward to going back there.

Would you do it again?

Of course I would! Despite the bad weather and the local cuisine, my experience at the RCCH and the Harvard Law School has been very positive, both academically and personally. Having the opportunity to do research at such a prestigious university and to make the academic and personal connections that I’m making is a unique experience for which I feel very fortunate and privileged.

What would you say to those who are considering a fellowship like yours?

I’d tell them to go for it. We’re fortunate that the Universitat de València is committed to giving young doctors the opportunity to learn at Harvard University and live in Boston for two years, which is a very interesting city. Opportunities like this come along very rarely in life and you have to seize them.

What are your plans for the future?

The Principal’s team at the Universitat de València is committed to the long-term stabilization of young researchers at the UV. That’s why we can look to the future with optimism, despite the continuous cuts in education and research by recent governments. Both Maria Vicenta Mestre, the Principal herself; Carles Padilla, Vice-Principal for Internationalization and Cooperation; and Carlos Hermenegildo, Vice-Principal for Research, have been very attentive and supportive from the very beginning, which I’m very grateful for. The fact that the Office of the Principal is committed to international collaboration and talent retention programs, supporting the return and consolidation of young researchers, is key to the future of the public university.

Starting in September, I’ll return to my department at the UV, the Department of Constitutional Law, Political and Administrative Science of the Faculty of Law. In the long term, the Principal’s team is determined that the young researchers trained at the UV will have sufficient opportunities to stabilize. Personally, I look forward to continuing to help the UV network and build bridges between the Harvard Law School and the UV. And, of course, I hope that through my work I’ll be able to give back to everyone all the economic effort they put into my education and academic work. Public universities are an essential tool for the development of our country, and I feel very fortunate to be a part of one of them.