The Pursuit of Independence in Catalonia and Scotland: Towards a new form of civic nationalism in Europe?

Territorial politics and the prospect of minority nationalist secession have assumed renewed prominence in Europe in recent years, centring on the relationships between Scotland and the United Kingdom and between Catalonia and Spain. For both cases, 2014 proved a momentous year, with Scotland holding a binding referendum on independence in September, and Catalonia holding a non-binding (and disputed) consultation vote in November. This paper explores the recent push for independence in these two contexts, employing frame analysis to assess how the pro-independence movements in Scotland and Catalonia conceptualize and articulate the ideas of nationhood, collective identity, and self-determination. It specifically explores the various political cleavages that these movements draw on in promoting the idea of autonomy or independence, and how these movements have positioned themselves within a changing European political environment. The paper demonstrates that, for both pro-independence movements, territorial politics and the idea of independence serve as vehicle for articulating traditional centre-periphery grievances and for promoting policies that reflect the needs and demands of the Scottish and Catalan communities. At the same time, both movements put forward a form of civic nationalist discourse that advocates democratic renewal and civic engagement.