Daniel Cetrà
Biography
My research interests lie broadly in the study of nationalism. My current research at the Centre on Constitutional Change examines the meanings of Britishness and unionism in Brexit debates. Previous research has compared the evolution of minority nationalism and independence movements in Catalonia, Flanders, Scotland and the Basque Country.
My doctoral research focused on the relationship between nationalism, liberalism and language from a combined political theory and political sociology perspective.
Qualifications
PhD in Political Sociology (University of Edinburgh, 2016)
MSc with Distinction Nationalism Studies (University of Edinburgh, 2011)
BA with Honours in Political Science (Pompeu Fabra University, 2010)
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Publications
Books
- 2019. Nationalism, Liberalism and Language in Catalonia and Flanders, Palgrave Macmillan.
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
- 2020. ‘State and Majority Nationalism in Plurinational States: Responding to Challenges from Below’, Nationalism and Ethnic Politics. 26:1, 1-7 (with Brown Swan, C.).
- 2020. ‘Why Stay Together? State Nationalism and Justifications for the Union in the UK and Spain', Nationalism and Ethnic Politics. 26:1, 46-66 (with Brown Swan, C.).
- 2019. ‘Explaining Accommodation and Resistance to Demands for Independence Referendums in the UK and Spain’, Nations and Nationalism, 607-629 (with Harvey, M.).
- 2018. ‘Breaking-up within Europe: Sub-state Nationalist Strategies in Multilevel Polities’, Journal of Common Market Studies, 56:3, pp. 717-729 (with Liñeira, R.).
- 2018. ‘The 2017 Catalan Independence Referendum: A Symposium’, Scottish Affairs, 27:1, 126-143 (with Casanas-Adam, E. and Tàrrega, M.)
- 2016. 'The 2015 Catalan Election: A De Facto Referendum on Independence?', Regional & Federal Studies, 26:1, pp. 107-119 (with Martí, D.)
- 2015. 'The Independence Case in Comparative Perspective', The Political Quarterly, 86:2, pp. 257-264 (with Liñeira, R.).
Refereed Book Chapters
- 2017. '"The Song Remains the Same?" Constitutional Developments in Catalonia and Scotland in 2015', European Yearbook of Minority Issues, Vol. 14, pp. 155-170 (with Harvey, M.).
- 2017. ‘Linguistic Diversity in Plurinational States’, 50 Shades of Federalism Project, Canterbury University.
Book Reviews
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2018. ‘Book review of: Papia Sengupta, Language as identity in colonial India: policies and politics, Palgrave MacMillan 2018’, Regional and Federal Studies, 28:2, pp. 231-232.
- 2015. 'Book review of: Dandoy, R; Dodeigne, J.; Matagne, G.; and Reuchamps, M. (editors), Les Élections Communales de 2012 en Wallonie, 2013', Swiss Political Science Review, 21:1, pp. 195-196.
- 2012. 'Book Review of: Philippe Van Parijs, Linguistic Justice for Europe and for the World, Oxford University Press, 2011', Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism (SEN), 12:2, pp. 416-418.
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Teaching Experience
Lecturer
- 2014-20. 'Nationalism in Modern Europe' [Honours] (University of Aberdeen)
Guest Lecturer
- 2015-19. Comparative Perspectives in Nationalism Studies [postgraduate course] (University of Edinburgh, UoE)
- 2016-18. Nations and Nationalism [Honours and postgraduate course] (UoE)
- 2016-18. Comparing Scottish Devolution [postgraduate course] (UoE).
Senior Tutor
- 2012-14: 'Democracy in Comparative Perspective' [undergraduate] (UoE)
- 2012-14: 'Introduction to Politics & International Relations' [undergraduate] (UoE)*
* Nominated for the EUSA Teaching Awards 2012-13
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Invited Talks
- 2019. Invited to speak about unionism and state nationalism in the UK and Spain at the conference Unions and Unionisms, Queen’s University Belfast, 24-25 October.
- 2019. Invited to speak about ‘What’s Next for Stateless Nations?’ at Self-Determination in a Context of Shared Sovereignty: How to Devise a European Approach?, conference organised by the Coppieters Foundation, Brussels, 18-19 September.
- 2019. 'Sub-state Nationalism and the EU', given at Redefining Regions in Europe, Danube University Krems, 23-24 January 2019.
- 2018. 'Sub-state Nationalism in Europe', given at the ‘Brexit Summit’ organised by the Glasgow City Council, 2 October 2018.
- 2016. ‘Debates within Liberal Nationalism: The Linguistic Disputes in Catalonia and Flanders’, given at the MultiCite Research Group Seminar Series, University of Geneva, 21 April. Discussant: François Grin.
- 2014. ‘Catalonia and Scotland: Similar Goals, Different Paths’, given at the session Small Nations and Big Ideas as part of Imagination: Scotland’s First Festival of Ideas, Glasgow, 7 September.
- 2013. ‘Scottish Autonomy’, given at the session Meglio Soli o Accompagnati? La Governance dell’autonomia in Europa, Officina dell’autonomia, Trento, 13 May.
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Conference Presentations since 2015
- 2019. ‘Federalism, State Traditions and Language Regimes in Belgium and Spain’, presented at the IPSA Conference ‘Diversity and Democratic Governance: Legacies of the Past, Present Challenges, and Future Directions?’ (University of Sarajevo, 12-15 June 2019).
- 2019. ‘Narratives of Nationhood in the Brexit Debates’, to be presented at the 29th ASEN Conference, Nationalism and Self-Determination, Edinburgh, 24-25 April.
- 2018. 'The (Im)possibility of Liberal Nationalism in the Age of Trump and the Catalan Conundrum - Moving Beyond the Binaries of Nationalism Studies', University of Edinburgh, 24-26 May.
- 2017. ‘The Politics of Language and Nationalism’, presented at the RC50 IPSA conference The Politics of Multilingualism: Possibilities and Challenges, Amsterdam, 22-24 May.
- 2017. ‘Explaining different state responses to independence demands: the cases of the UK and Spain’, to be presented at the 67th BSA Annual Conference Politics in Interesting Times, Glasgow, 10-12 April.
- 2016. 'Our Language, Our Rules? Nationalism and Linguistic Disputes in Catalonia and Flanders', presented at the 24th IPSA World Congress Politics in a World of Inequality. July 23-28, Poznán, Poland.
- 2015. 'Language Rights and Territory: The Case of the Flemish Periphery of Brussels', presented at the IPSA Conference Rethinking Territoriality: Between Independence and Interdependence. University of Edinburgh.
- 2015. 'Nationalism and Linguistic Disputes: The Case of Catalonia', presented at the ECPR General Conference. Université de Montréal.
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Media Contributions
Interviews
'Catalan academic fighting extradition from Scotland stirs nationalist tension', Reuters, 27-03-2018 (quoted).
'Spain-Catalonia: How can the constitutional crisis be resolved?', The Scotsman, 27-03-2018 (quoted).
'Newsdrive', BBC Radio Scotland, 26-03-2018.
'The World Tonight', BBC Radio 4, 31-10-2017.
'Good Morning Scotland', BBC Radio Scotland, 28-10-2017.
'STV News Tonight', STV, 27-10-2017.
'Scotland Tonight', STV, 19-10-2017.
South African Broadcasting Corporation (RSG), 17-10-2017.
'Newsdrive', BBC Radio Scotland, 04-10-2017.
'Representing Border', ITV Border, 03-10-2017.
'Good Morning Scotland', BBC Radio Scotland, 23-09-2017.
'Spain ramps up its crackdown on Catalan independence vote', The Herald, 22-09-2017 (quoted).
'Scotland Tonight', STV, 20-09-2017.
'Representing Border', ITV Border, 19-09-2017.
'Informativos EiTB' (Basque public TV), 18-09-2017.
'Why Catalonia's independence vote is "very different" from Scotland's', The Scotsman, 14-09-2017.
World in Focus, Radio Sputnik UK, 04-04-2017.
'El "Brexit" pone a prueba la cohesión política del Reino Unido', EFE (Spanish News Agency(, 16-03-2017 (quoted).
'El Brexit dur aboca Escocia a un nou pero molt incert referendum', Diari Ara (Catalan newspaper), 18-01-2017 (quoted)
‘Catalonia still asking for independence’, EU Observer, 12-09-2016 (quoted).
Boulevard, Radio Euskadi (Basque radio station), 23-06-2016
'L'SNP repeteix victòria a Escòcia però es queda a tocar de la majoria absoluta', Nació Digital (Catalan online newspaper), 06-05-2016
Good Morning Scotland, BBC Radio Scotland, 13-01-2016 (47.30 mins in)
Representing Border, ITV Border, 12-01-2016 (16.48 mins in)
Representing Border, ITV Border, 10-09-2015 (10.05 mins in)
‘Catalans eye new independence “referendum”’, Al Jazeera, 29-01-2015 (quoted)
Ganbara, Radio Euskadi (Basque radio station), 14-11-2014
Sunday Politics Scotland, BBC One, 09-11-2014
Good Morning Scotland, BBC Radio Scotland, 07-11-2014
‘Scotland votes “No” but others still say “Yes”’, Ozy, 20-09-2014 (quoted)
Hoy por Hoy, Cadena SER (Spanish radio station), 19-09-2014.
‘Le référendum en Écosse sous la loupe des indépendantistes à travers le monde’, L’Orient Le Jour (Lebanese newspaper), 18-09-2014
NTN24 (Latin America news channel), 18-09-2014
El Món a Rac 1, Rac 1 (Catalan radio station), 18-09-2014
‘Debate: qué tan distintos son Escocia e Inglaterra?’, BBC Mundo, 17-09-2014 (online chat)
‘Es poco factible que el Gobierno español vete la entrada de Escocia en la Unión Europea’, DEIA (Basque newspaper), 13-09-2014
Press Articles and Blog Posts
'Catalonia at a Crossroads', Centre on Constitutional Change blog, 27-03-2018.
'Catalonia's "difficult balancing act"', The Herald, 12-10-2017.
'How will Spain respond to a Catalan independence vote?', The Herald, 04-10-2017.
'Comparing Scotland and Catalonia's bid for independence', The Herald, 13-09-2017.
'El dilema d'un segon referèndum a Escòcia', El Punt Avui (Catalan newspaper), 09-12-2016
‘Roadmaps and gridlock: the drive for Catalan independence’, CCC Blog, 12-09-2016.
'Catalan elections: three possible scenarios that could shape Catalonia's future', LSE EUROPP Blog, 24-09-2015
'Decision Time for Catalonia', Centre on Constitutional Change, 29-07-2015
'Labour’s coalition dilemma has Spanish echoes', Centre on Constitutional Change, 16-03-2015
'A symbolic and non-binding vote on independence in Catalonia', The Future of the UK and Scotland, 10-11-2014
'Catching the Referendum bug', The Future of the UK and Scotland, 01-10-2014
'Spain is unlikely to veto an independent Scotland’s EU membership', LSE EUROPP Blog, 15-09-2014
'Scotland vote may change little in Catalonia – but Cameron’s an unlikely hero there', The Conversation, 13-09-2014
'The Flemish Nationalists may have been successful in Sunday's (other) elections, but it will be a bumpy road to government', Political Studies Association Blog, 29-05-2014
'Belgium won't split after Sunday's elections, but it could take a step in that direction', The Conversation, 20-05-2014
'Quebec's Election', The Future of the UK and Scotland, 15-04-2014
'Catalonia deadlocked as nationalists plan new offensive', The Conversation, 02-04-2014
Community Involvement
Moderator. Fulbright Roundtable with Professor Michael Ignatieff, 7 June 2016, Edinburgh.
Participant. Summer School ‘Politics in Fragmented Societies: Cohesion, Recognition, Redistribution and Secession’, co-organised by the Institute for Minority Rights (EURAC) and the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). Bozen / Bolzano, 15-26 June 2015.
Discussant. Workshop ‘Recognition and Redistribution in Multinational Federations’, organised by the Research Group in Political Philosophy of KU Leuven, 2-4 May 2013.
Organiser. Workshop ‘Crossing Perspectives: Concepts and Methods in the Study of Nationalism’, 11 November 2011, Edinburgh.
Member. Territorial Politics Research Group, University of Edinburgh.
