School of Social and Political Science

Description

Why do independence movements win overwhelming support nearly everywhere except in wealthy democracies of the global North?

This talk points to the role big business plays in ensuring robust public opposition to secession. The presentation is based on a new dataset of independence debates in places where big business played a major role (Scotland, Quebec, and Catalonia) and those where its presence was minimal to non-existent (Slovenia and Western Australia).

Karlo Basta is Senior Lecturer, Politics and International Relations & Co-director of the Centre on Constitutional Change at the University of Edinburgh.