Secessionism and the European Union

The Future of Flanders, Scotland, and Catalonia

By (author) Glen M. E. Duerr

Not available to order

Publication date:

30 October 2015

Length of book:

238 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

ISBN-13: 9780739190852

This study examines three different cases—Flanders in Belgium, Scotland in the UK, and Catalonia in Spain—to investigate how secessionist political parties are approaching the issue of independence. All of the cases are different with respect to history, governmental structure, and economic situation. Yet all of the cases are similar in some ways—they are close to the same size (in terms of population), operate within mature democratic political systems, have distinct secessionist political parties, and all reside within member states of the EU. Categorically, in all cases, there are also shared influences of the ability of the region to secede: institutions, interests, and ideas.

Chapter One Major Secessionist Movements in Europe
Chapter Two Methodology
Chapter Three Vlaams Belang in Flanders
Chapter FourNieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie in Flanders
Chapter Five Scottish National Party in Scotland
Chapter Six Convergència I Unió in Catalonia
Chapter Seven Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya in Catalonia
Chapter Eight European Union
Chapter Nine Conclusions and Why Flanders, Scotland, and Catalonia are not Independent

In this timely book, Glen Duerr provides a thoughtful discussion of a crucial actor in the contemporary politics of secessionism in Western Europe: the secessionist party. Informed by several interviews with party representatives and officials, Duerr's study is an important contribution to the literature on nationalism.