As Fernando Sánchez Costa, director of the Observatory of Social Trends, points out, the second issue of UIC Barcelona’s magazine is “a possible programme and a realistic agenda that helps overcome the tensions the city has faced in recent years”. The magazine’s introduction argues that “Barcelona has everything required to become the Mediterranean’s global city: name, history, heritage, intelligence, economic dynamism, strategic position and, above all, the goodwill of communities across the Mare Nostrum”

Barcelona and the sea: the chicken or the egg?

Barcelona and the sea: the chicken or the egg? With this question, Xavier Baró, lecturer at the Faculty of Humanities, introduces the magazine and reflects on the city’s connection with the sea. The author traces two millennia of history, from the arrival of the Laietani (an Iberian people) to the Olympic Barcelona of 1992, highlighting the vitality of the Catalan capital and its key role in the Mediterranean and maritime navigation.

In the article, which was published on the science communication portal The Conversation and also featured by Infobae, Baró recalls Barcelona’s Roman origins. “The Romans settled in Barcino for its strategic value, given its location on the western Mediterranean coast. They established a port that became a key link with other Mediterranean enclaves,” he explains.

The historian examines Barcelona’s medieval expansion towards the sea, the regulation of maritime commerce and the emergence of the Llotja de Mar (the city’s medieval merchants’ exchange). The author considers how the fall of Constantinople and the discovery of America in 1492 redefined Barcelona’s connection with the sea and influenced security and international trade. Finally, the lecturer discusses how the city developed its maritime connections during the Modern and Contemporary Ages, before concluding with the transformation of the port into a logistics and cruise hub, along with the current debate on controlling mass tourism.

Panorama: a magazine on emerging trends

Xavier Baró’s historical perspective is yet another element in the growing need to rigorously understand the profound changes affecting areas as diverse as culture, the economy, consumption, education and technology. Launched in 2024, the Observatory of Social Trends and the magazine Panorama seek to identify contemporary phenomena and anticipate future developments.

This second issue continues to explore the concept of the global city through four additional viewpoints. Contributors discuss how Barcelona could lead the Mediterranean region as an economic driver and cultural bridge. Articles include pieces by Eduard Rodes, director of the European School – Intermodal Transport; writer and journalist Anna Grau; Lebanese lecturer and activist Carmen Geha; and UIC Barcelona Humanities students Aleix Buñesch and Jaume Sureda. The edition closes with short reflections from the Faculty of Communication Sciences students on recent trends in music and social media.

Panorama is available via Racó and is published twice a year.