Are secessionists making the right arguments for independence

Bibliographic Data

ID6305442
AuthorsRyan D Griffiths (0000-0001-5816-4284, Syracuse University, corresponding author), Ryan Griffiths (0000-0001-6874-5509, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Syracuse University Syracuse New York USA), Kari Waters (0000-0003-0038-6698, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs Syracuse University Syracuse New York USA)
Year2023
Volume29
Issue2
Pages498-511
Publication date2023-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueNations and Nationalism (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1345-5078 • E-ISSN: 1469-8129
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/nana.12903
OpenAlexW4308562570
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited18

There are roughly 70 secessionist movements around the world, and all of them advance arguments for why they deserve independence. These include restorative rights, remedial rights, primary rights, a history of conflict and functionality‐based arguments. However, no one has conducted a comprehensive analysis to see how these arguments (or grievances) match reality. That is, are secessionists making the right arguments given their context? To answer this question, we utilise a data set of potential secessionist grievances to determine what normative arguments each secessionist movement ought to make given their setting. We conduct a content analysis of the normative appeals/grievances that have actually been made by specific secessionist movements since 2000. We then compare the predicted grievances against the actual grievances and summarise the patterns. The results matched our predictions where restorative rights, remedial rights and functionality‐based arguments are concerned. Our analysis returned a positive and statistically significant relationship. However, we found no evidence that those making conflict‐related arguments were more likely to exist in conflict settings. Interestingly, the findings for primary rights were the opposite of our expectations; it is the secessionists with the most political voice, not the least, that are the keenest to stress primary rights

Context (archaeology · Human rights · Independence (probability theory · Law and economics · Normative · Political science · Politics · Remedial education · Sociology · Judicial and Constitutional Studies · Law · Political Conflict and Governance · Post-Soviet Geopolitical Dynamics

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