From resignation to non-conformism: association movement, family and intellectual disability in Franco’s Spain (1957-1975)

espanolEl movimiento asociativo relacionado con la discapacidad intelectual comenzo en Espana durante la segunda parte de la dictadura Franquista. Su aparicion fue relativamente tardia respecto a otros paises, donde asociaciones de familias y defensores de las personas con discapacidad intelectual llevaban funcionando algun tiempo y estaban comenzado a formar grupos mas grandes, primero a nivel europeo y posteriormente a nivel internacional. Los padres espanoles fueron los actores principales de este movimiento social. Ellos reclamaron el derecho de sus hijos a recibir una educacion adecuada y a tener un futuro mas seguro en su etapa adulta. Desde 1959 (el ano en que se creaba la primera asociacion –ASPRONA— en Valencia) hasta el final del regimen de Franco se crearon mas de un centenar de asociaciones familiares en el territorio nacional. Ademas, en 1964, se creaba la Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones pro Subnormales (FEAPS) con el objeto de cooperar con la administracion publica y encargarse de promover la creacion de otras agrupaciones y contribuir a su desarrollo. Utilizando como fuentes principales los boletines e informes publicados por estas asociaciones, este articulo explica la aparicion del activismo de los padres, describe la extension de estos grupos y revisa el modo en que las asociaciones construyeron sus identidades y llevaron a cabo las funciones que se plantearon. El articulo analiza tambien las criticas y los problemas a los que estos grupos tuvieron que enfrentarse y el proceso que les condujo a asumir un discurso mas beligerante al finalizar la dictadura. EnglishThe association movement related to intellectual disability started in Spain during the second part of Franco´s dictatorship. Its appearance was rather late with respect to other countries, where associations of families and defenders of people with intellectual disabilities had been going on for some time and were forming larger groups, first European-wide then internationally. Spanish parents were the principal actor of this social movement. They demanded the right of their children to receive a decent education and to have a more secure future beyond that of childhood. From 1959 (the year that first association —ASPRONA— was created in Valencia) until the end of the Franco’s regime more than one hundred family associations were created all over the country. Additionally, in 1964, the Spanish Federation of Societies for the Protection of the Subnormal (FEAPS) was created to liaise with the public administration and be in charge of promoting and helping the other associations. By analysing as main sources bulletins and reports published by these disability organisations, this article explains the rise of parents’ activism, it describes the spread of the self-organised groups and it looks at the way in which these associations built their identities and performed their intended functions. The paper focuses also on the criticisms and problems these groups faced and on the process that led them to take a more confrontational stance.