Pedro Ruiz Torres (Elx, 1951) graduated in Philosophy and Humanities by the University of Valencia in 1974 and he finished his doctoral studies in 1981. Full University Professor of Contemporary History, he was Vice-Principal for Teaching Staff and Academic Planning at the University of Valencia between 1986 and 1990, and Principal of this institution between 1994 and 2002.

Currently he chairs the Association of Contemporary History and he is director of the publication “Ayer revista” and “Paisajes de pensamiento contemporáneo”. His task on the University of Valencia has contributed to strengthen, on one hand, the links between the university and the cultural society, and on the other, the historical, cultural and linguistic links with Catalan-speaking universities. In 2004 he was awarded with the Creu de Sant Jordi (St. George Cross).

Works:

• Estudios sobre la revolución burguesa en España (1979) (Studies about the bourgeois revolution in Spain)
• Señores y propietarios. Cambio social en el sur del País Valenciano 1650-1850 (1981) (Lords and landlords. Social change in the south of the Valencian Country 1650-1850)
• España en el siglo XVIII (Spain in the 18th century)
• Historia del País Valencià. Època contemporània (1990) (History of the Valencian Country. Contemporary Period)
• La época de la razón (The Age of Reason)
• Europa en su historia (1993) Europe in its history
• Reformas y políticas agrarias en la historia de España (Reforms and Agricultural policies in the history of Spain)
• Nacionalismo e historia (Nationalism and History)
• Universitat i compromís social (Universities and social commitment)
• Discursos sobre la historia (Discourses on history)
• The Political Uses of the Past
• La Ilustración y las ciencias. Para una historia de la objetividad (The Illustration and Sciences. For a history of objectivity)

Source: Wikipedia