An ethnonational perspective on territorial politics in the EU: east-west comparisons from a pilot study

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between European integration and ethnonational demands with the example of selected regions in the European Union (EU). It follows the theoretical premises of new regionalism and explores the ways in which ethnonational groups use the opportunities and resources of European governance to express their identities, material interests, and political demands. Methodologically, it conducts a plausibility probe of the potential effects of European integration on ethnonationalism by testing for regional differences in identities, interests, and political attitudes. The case studies are drawn from the UK (Wales and Scotland), Belgium (Flanders), Austria (Carinthia and Burgenland), Romania (Northwest and Center regions), and Bulgaria (South-Central and South-Eastern regions) as a representative selection of regional interests in the EU. The paper finds that European integration affects ethnonational groups by reinforcing identity construction in the direction of inclusiveness and diversity. Although regional actors are more supportive of the EU than the European publics in general, they also seek access to representation in the authority structures of the state. Based on these findings, the paper concludes that European integration facilitates a growing public acceptance of its resources, in parallel with persisting allegiances to the nation-state, the community, and ethnoregional distinctiveness.

Regional Politics and Ethnic Identity: How Silesian Identity Has Become Politicized

“…However, the Upper Silesian movement cannot be considered nationalist because it lays no claim to a separate state, only for autonomy within an existing one. Silesian ethnoregionalists perceive the EU as an ally in their fight for minority rights, which is typical for many ethnoregionalist parties (Stefanova 2014). At the same time, similarly to Lega Nord in the past, they make a clear distinction between the modernized economic power of their own region and the poor, anachronistic rest of the state.…”

Peripheral Elites in West European Central States’ Apparatus: An Introduction

“…This historical dynamic involved the concentration of power in some territories at the economic, cultural, and military-administrative levels. This dynamic has later been strengthened by the process of European integration (Stefanova 2014). The consequence of the state-building process was the creation of peripheries with a different degree of integration with respect the center: pure peripheries (strongly dependent and assimilated like Wales, Brittany, Wallonia, or Andalusia) and failed cores (that almost reached their independence over time and where a substantial feeling of distinctiveness remains such as Scotland, Catalonia, Basque Country, South Tyrol, or Flanders).…”

Beyond Linguistic Peripheral Elites: The Provincial Imbalance of Cabinet Ministers in Belgium

“…Given its complex institutional structure and its intertwined layers of (territorial) regions and (linguistic) communities, Belgium is often considered as a textbook case for analyzing multi-level political elite dynamics. Indeed, much attention has been spent on the study of regionalist or secessionist discourse of Flemish political leaders or on the career patterns of regional and federal politicians (Stefanova 2014). However, all these studies take the region or the community as unit of analysis and political elites are often considered as homogenous actors in each respective entity.…”