The Parliaments of Autonomous Nations
How the parliaments of minority national communities and central parliaments express identities and treat self-determination claims
Description
At a time when nationalist movements are forcefully looking for new forms of political, institutional, and constitutional accommodation – if not seeking independence altogether – insight into their dynamics is more useful than ever. In The Parliaments of Autonomous Nations, Guy Laforest and André Lecours assemble an original perspective on minority nations in Belgium, Canada, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Analyzing how parliaments in Flanders, Quebec, Catalonia, Galicia, the Basque Country, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have worked to build, consolidate, and express their identities, manage and protect the cultural distinctiveness of their communities, as well as articulate self-determination claims, contributors provide insights into these nations’ democracies and traditions. Essays also focus on the central parliaments of multinational states, and on the methods used by these parliaments to promote their own national identities and respond to minority nations’ claims for recognition, autonomy, or even independence. An illuminating look at the internal forces of Western governments, The Parliaments of Autonomous Nations also offers a broad view of vital concerns such as nationalist struggles, federalism, and parliamentarism.
Reviews
“This is a comprehensive treatment of an original and important topic. The contributors are respected scholars in the field and together the collection greatly advances our understanding of how sub-state legislatures function within multinational states.” - Stephen Tierney, University of Edinburgh
"A major advance towards a better understanding of the role of parliaments of minority nations." Nations and Nationalism