Past Event

On November 9, 2014, Catalonia celebrated a referendum on independence. This was seen by many as a challenge to Spain’s unity and as a strong expression of the will of Catalans to decide their own future. However the actual significance of the referendum is much less straightforward than it seems. This seminar examines the developments leading up to the referendum, the actions of Catalan political elites and the Spanish government, and the implications of the result for Catalonia and Spain. In doing so, it highlights the tensions, contradictions, and controversies at work in a seemingly failed process of independence.

This seminar will be given by Dr. Sebastian Baglioni, a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Department of Political Science at Carleton University, and is hosted by the Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies. This event is organized in cooperation with the Centre for European Studies.