Regionalism & Federalism

WE WELCOME ALL PANEL AND PAPER PROPOSALS ON REGIONALISM AND FEDERALISM. BELOW ARE SOME SPECIFIC IDEAS FROM THE SECTION CHAIRS. In a moment in which referendums about regions’ independence are protagonists of political news in some countries such as Scotland and Spain, the classic conception of the State seems to be more challenged than ever before. While some regions want to separate from others, they intent to be part of the European Union, so several actors are playing a key role. Could unitary states accommodate diverse identities and national identifications? How can the EU respond to these new challenges? Is regionalism affected by the current economic crisis? Did the economic situation trigger regional and national feelings? This section is open to papers discussing these questions and focusing on theoretical approaches to the state and identities, the role of fiscal autonomy in regionalism, the role of the political elites and the effects of federal and regional sentiments on voting behavior.