Regionalism. Origins, Structures and Features

Abstract

Regionalism as political phenomenon focuses on the interests of a particular region or group of regions, whether traditional or formal (administrative divisions, country subdivisions, subnational units). Regionalism centres on increasing the regions influence and political power, either through movements for limited form of autonomy (devolution, decentralisation) or through strong measures for a greater degree of autonomy (sovereignty, separatism, independence). Regionalists by trend favour loose federations or confederations over unitary states with strong central governments. According to this explanation the panel tries to explore regionalism and regional policy in its origins, its structures and especially in its contemporary developments. The broad focus of analysis goes from regional institutions and movements to local political elites. The overarching question of the panel is how regional institutions and actors have responded to the effects of the main macro-structural political processes of the last decades (e.g. the breakdown of the Soviet system, European integration and globalisation) and in which direction regional policies will go. To give some answers to this question the panel will include qualitative comparisons and case studies about regionalist movements and territorial politics in South Tyrol (Italy) and Scotland (UK), about regional parliaments in Germany and about local political elites in Romania and the Czech Republic. For a better comparison a paper about macro-regions in Africa has been added.

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