88092 - Nationalism And Secessionalism

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will: acquire analytical tools for studying minority nationalisms from a comparative perspective; learn to interpret the secessionist dynamics present in contemporary democracies; and gain an understanding of the forms and challenges associated with multinational federalism.

Course contents

A course in comparative politics with a seminar-based format (see "Teaching Methods"), focusing on the phenomenon of minority nationalisms and secessionism, particularly—but not exclusively—in Western democracies. The course explores secessionist dynamics and the mechanisms for managing center–periphery conflicts within a state. Key questions addressed include: What are minority nationalisms, and what factors contribute to their development? What political and institutional mechanisms can help adjust center–periphery cleavages and contain secessionist mobilization? What is plurinational federalism, and what are its limits? What is secession, and in what forms can it occur?

Starting from a theoretical framework designed to provide basic concepts and analytical tools (theories of nationalism, federalism, and regionalism studies, theories of secession), the course offers a comparative analysis of several national cases, with an in-depth focus on regional experiences: Belgium (Flanders); Canada (Quebec); United Kingdom (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland); Spain (Catalonia and the Basque Country); Italy (South Tyrol/Alto Adige and Northern Italy); Switzerland. In addition, India and Russia will be examined as cases of non-Western plurinational federations.

Readings/Bibliography

The bibliography is divided into two sections: the first focuses on concepts and theories, the second on case studies. Texts not available through the university’s digital resources will be provided as PDFs on the Virtuale platform.

I. THEORY

Buchanan A., 1998, The international institutional dimension of secession, in P. B. Lehning (ed.), Theories of secession, Routledge, pp. 227-256.

Gagnon A., 2021, Multinational federalism: challenges, shortcomings and promises, in "Regional & Federal Studies", vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 99-114.

Hechter M., 2000, Containing nationalism, Oxford University Press: ch. 1 (pp. 1-17).

Kymlicka W., 1998, Is federalism a viable alternative to secession?, in P. B. Lehning (ed.), Theories of secession, Routledge, pp. 111-150.

Lecours A., 2021, Nationalism, Secessionism and Autonomy, Oxford University Press: chapters: 1,2,8.

Pavkovic, A. and Radan, P., 2007, Creating New States: Theory and Practice of Secession, Ashgate: ch. 1 (pp. 5-24).

Requejo F. e Sanjaume-Calvet M. (eds), 2023, Defensive Federalism. Protecting Territorial Minorities from the "Tyranny of the Majority", Routledge: ch 1 (only pp. 1-12) and ch. 4 (only pp. 67-74)

II. CASE-STUDIES

1. Belgium

- Lecours A., 2021, Flanders – The Marginality of Secessionism, in A. Lecours, Nationalism, Secessionism and Autonomy, Oxford University Press, pp. 96-118.

- Maddens B., 2018, Secessionist strategies: The case of Flanders, in Diego Muro and Eckart Woertz (Eds.), Secession and Counter-secession. An International Relations Perspective, Barcelona: CIDOB, pp. 55-62.

- Popelier P. (2021) Power-Sharing in Belgium: The Disintegrative Model, in S. Keil, A. McCulloch (eds.), 2021, Power-Sharing in Europe. Past Practice, Present Cases, and Future Directions, Palgrave, pp. 89-114.

2. Canada

- Dumberry P., 2022, The Secession Question in Quebec, in Jure Vidmar, Sarah McGibbon & Lea Raible (eds), Research Handbook on Secession, Elgar Publ., pp. 148-165

- Iacovino R., 2012, Partial Asymmetry and Federal Construction: Accommodating Diversity in the Canadian Constitution, in M. Weller e K. Nobbs (eds.), Asymmetric Autonomy and the Settlement of Ethnic Conflicts, University of Pennsylvania Press, pp. 75-96.

- Lecours A., 2021, Québec: A Weakening of Secessionism, in A. Lecours, Nationalism, Secessionism and Autonomy, Oxford University Press, pp. 160-169.

- Lecours A., 2018, The two Quebec independence referendums: Political strategies and international relations, in Diego Muro and Eckart Woertz (eds.) Secession and Counter-secession. An International Relations Perspective, Barcelona: CIDOB, pp. 63-68.

3. United Kingdom

- Murtagh C., 2021, Toward Inclusive Power-Sharing in Northern Ireland: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back, in S. Keil, A. McCulloch (eds.), 2021, Power-Sharing in Europe. Past Practice, Present Cases, and Future Directions, Palgrave, pp. 141-169 (except paragraphs 2 and 7)

- Hayward, K., & Rosher, B. 2024 8Jul 26), Political identities and aspirations in Northern Ireland, https://www.ark.ac.uk/ARK/sites/default/files/2024-06/update155.pdf

- Lecours A., 2021, Scotland. The Secessionist Surge, in A. Lecours, Nationalism, Secessionism and Autonomy, Oxford University Press, pp.72-95

- Keating, M., 2024 (Jul 17), All still to play for in Scotland, Centre on Constitutional Change, https://www.centreonconstitutionalchange.ac.uk/UK-Election-2024-Scotland

4. Spain

- Anderson P., 2021, Consociational Compromise? Constitutional Evolution in Spain and Catalonia, in S. Keil, A. McCulloch (eds.), Power-Sharing in Europe. Past Practice, Present Cases, and Future Directions, Palgrave, pp. 201-225 (except paragraph 6)

- Cetrá D. and Swenden W., 2021, State nationalism and territorial accommodation in Spain and India, in “Regional & Federal Studies”, No.1, pp. 115-137.

- Lecours A., 2021, Catalonia. The Secessionist Turn (pp. 43-69), Basque Country: Secessionism and Violence (pp. 143-151), in A. Lecours, Nationalism, Secessionism and Autonomy, Oxford University Press.

5. Italy

- Dalle Mulle E., 2018, The nationalism of the rich, Routledge; ch 4: “Northern Italy” pp. 71-90.

- Lecours A., 2021, South Tyrol. From Irredentism and Secessionism to Autonomy, in A. Lecours, Nationalism, Secessionism and Autonomy, Oxford University Press, pp.121-141.

- Pallaver G. and Brunazzo M., 2017, Italy: The Pendulum of “Federal” Regionalism, in F. Karlhofer and G. Pallaver (eds), Federal Power-Sharing in Europe, Nomos, pp. 147-180.

6. Switzerland

- Bhattacharyya H., 2007, India and Switzerland as multinational federations, in Burgess M. e J. Pinder (eds), Multinational federations, Routledge, pp. 212-224.

- Dardanelli P., 2010, Why Switzerland is Mono- not Multi-national. Historical, institutional, attitudinal and behavioural aspects, Centre for Federal Studies, Conference Paper, available at: https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=AJtcPZ4AAAAJ&cstart=20&pagesize=80&citation_for_view=AJtcPZ4AAAAJ:mVmsd5A6BfQC

- Mueller S., 2021, The Politics of Compromise: Institutions and Actors of Power-Sharing in Switzerland, in S. Keil, A. McCulloch (eds.), Power-Sharing in Europe. Past Practice, Present Cases, and Future Directions, Palgrave, only pp. 67-79

7. India

- Bhattacharyya H., 2007, Federalism and competing nations in India, in Burgess M. e J. Pinder (eds), Multinational federations, Routledge, pp. 50-67.

- Cetrá D. e Swenden W., 2021, State nationalism and territorial accommodation in Spain and India, in “Regional & Federal Studies”, No.1, pp. 115-137 (primi due paragrafi e sezioni sull’India)

- Curtis J. (2025), Kashmir: India and Pakistan’s longstanding dispute, in J. Curtis, Kashmir: Renewed India-Pakistan tensions, Research Briefing, House of Commons Library, ch. 2, pp. 20-31; https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-10264/CBP-10264.pdf

- Kohli, A., 2004, India: Federalism and the accommodation of ethnic nationalism, in U. Amoretti e N. Bermeo (eds), Federalism and Territorial Cleavages, The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 281-299.

8. Russia

- Bowker M., 2004, Russia and Chechnya: the issue of secession, in “Nations and Nationalism”, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 461-478.

- Gribanova G., 2011, Russian federalism: does it work?, in R. Saxena (ed), Varieties of federal governance, Foundations, pp. 86-103.

- Kolstø P., 2016, Introduction: Russian nationalism is back – but precisely what does that mean?, in P. Kolstø and H. Blakkisrud (eds.) The New Russian Nationalism. Imperialism, Ethnicity and Authoritarianism 2000–2015, Edinburgh University Press, solo pp. 1-7.

- Ross C., 2007, Russia’s multinational federation, in M. Burgess e J. Pinder (eds), Multinational Federations, Routledge, pp. 108-126.

- Sharafutdinova G., 2013, Gestalt Switch in Russian Federalism. The Decline in Regional Power under Putin, in “Comparative Politics”, Vol. 45, No. 3, only pp. 367-373.

Teaching methods

The course follows a seminar-based format with mandatory attendance (minimum 70% of lessons) and a maximum of 25–30 students. After an initial set of lectures focused on concepts and theories (first section of the bibliography), students will engage in group work aimed at presenting in class the readings related to case studies (second section of the bibliography). These presentations will be preceded by introductory lectures.

Assessment methods

The assessment is designed to verify the achievement of the following learning objectives: 1) acquisition of conceptual tools for the comparative analysis of nationalisms and secessionism; 2) understanding of the main mechanisms for managing center–periphery tensions and secessionist dynamics; 3) in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of the national and regional cases analyzed.

The final assessment includes the submission of a written paper, due one week before the scheduled exam date, and to be discussed during an oral exam. The paper (length: 30,000–40,000 characters) must compare at least three of the cases covered in class, using the theoretical tools acquired and following the instructor’s guidelines. The paper and its oral discussion will count for 70% of the final grade. The remaining 30% will assess the in-class presentation of assigned readings, in line with the seminar-based method (see "Teaching Methods").

Teaching tools

PowerPoint slides, multimedia materials.

Office hours

See the website of Brunetta Baldi