Europe
Rethinking the right to self-determination
‘EU member states are still divided on the recognition of Kosovo. The time may have come for some better European international principles about who has the right to self-determination and how’.
What Catalonia can learn from Scotland
‘If many Scots retain a certain ambivalence towards the British monarchy, they have not rebelled against it nor do they have any plans to declare any unilateral declaration of independence’.
High price of crushing Catalonian indy dreams
‘In the weeks and months to come, the crisis could lead to the fall of the Spanish government, and the Catalonian one at that. The dream of an imminent independent Catalan state has been shattered…
Take back control: sovereignty, identity, nationalism
‘ Today, the Conservative Party is emphatically more nationalist than the SNP but some of its leading members still criticize the nationalist mote in the SNP seemingly oblivious to the beam in its own ideology’.
Guinea pig: citizen or enemy of the state?
‘I am the warning, I am the guinea pig. What’s happening to me now, might happen to you, unless you fight and oppose.’ Polish writer Kasia Kokowska describes a European life still in limbo while…
The four pillars of Scottish nationalism have crumbled
‘Rural conservatives want to see an end to the instability caused by perpetual referendums and progressives want to support an authentically left-wing political party. The basis of the SNP’s support is being eroded from left…
Standing up for Scotland in Europe
“But as good as nobody is speaking out loud for what has always been the preferred option: EU membership as an independent country on a par with Denmark, Latvia and Slovakia.” How Scotland’s GE2017 campaign…
Post-Brexit Scotland and environmental law
‘The absence of Scotland from of a strong EU policy framework for enforcement and policy development in areas such as climate change is likely to be exacerbate growing tensions between Scotland and the UK Government…
Broadcasting on every platform – Mind the Gap!
“But positive ratings alone will not be enough to defend intelligent audiences from the suppliers of fake news, peddlers of propaganda and from chauvinist, tabloid shlock. Democracy needs the BBC to live up to that…
Seeing oursels as the French ithers see us
“The fact that British politicians even raised the possibility of war with Spain four days after triggering Article 50 ought to be some reminder of where “blood-and-soil” nationalism leads. To war, usually.”
Marching on Holyrood
But the only cloud gathering on this golden occasion was one of dark doubt, not about the utter commitment of those who spoke, but whether they, or anyone else, had the power or strategy to…
Scottish fast-track to the EU
“There is considerable political goodwill to Scotland in EU capitals since it is facing Brexit despite having voted to remain. That political goodwill, on current trends, is likely to feed into an effort to fast-track…