The University of Barcelona professor used his acceptance speech to highlight the historian's duty in defending democratic systems. Martínez Shaw warned of an accelerated degradation of values globally, citing current political trends in the United States and Russia as concerning examples.
“"The historian has the obligation to investigate the past to understand the present and build a better future."
Recognized for his work on maritime trade, his book Cataluña en la carrera de Indias 1680-1756 remains a seminal text. His career includes over 300 articles and the supervision of fifty doctoral theses, cementing his legacy in Catalan historiography.
