Spanish Politics and Society Hispanic & European Studies Program Fall 2009 Raimundo Viejo Viñas Office

Contentious politics in Spain The Basque nationalism as a social movement

Two different types of nationalism  In relation to the State, there are two different types of nationalism: Nationalism of the Nation-State (i.e. Spanish, French or German nationalism) Stateless Nation’s Nationalism, SNN (i.e. Scottish, Corsican, Catalan or Basque nationalism)  In relation to politics, those nationalisms are also very different: Nation-State nationalism operates within State-politics SNN operates within movement politics  The Basque case:

Nationalism as a Social Movement  SNN can be analysed as a social movement because…  …they are sustained by networks of informal interaction  …their members share beliefs, identity and solidarity  …they organize contentious collective action  …they have political autonomy (they are autonomous from State politics)

Networks of informal interaction  SNN are not a political party, nor a interest group, nor a protest event.  As social movements SNN involve a multi- organizational field (which can be made of several political parties, interest groups, associations, etc.)  SNN are not a single protest event, but a series of protest events, sustained over time. They connect single protest events giving them continuity and meaning as a social movement

Beliefs, identity, solidarity  Nationalist networks share common beliefs (i.e. the belief they are members of a unique nation)  Nationalist networks have a collective identity (i.e. national identity)  Members of nationalist networks are mutually supportive (given two persons in the same situation, they prefer to help people belonging to their nation)

Nationalist collective action  Nationalist activist networks organize contentious collective actions against the State to mobilize people  Contentious collective action can range from peaceful demonstrations to armed struggle (i.e. bombing, assassination, etc.)

Political autonomy  Since nationalisms want to fight against the State they need to be autonomous from the State  Being autonomous means to be able of producing their own rules independently from State power (i.e. power emanates from the people, not from the State)

The Basque case  The Basque nationalist movement (BNM) is a Stateless nation nationalism.  The BNM is sustained by activist networks that are organised into a complex multiorganizational field.  The BNM multiorganizational field is integrated by: Political parties: PNV (christian-democrat), EA (social- democrat), Aralar (peaceful pro-independence), and Batasuna (ETA’s political branch) Interest groups: Confebask (employers association), LAB, ELA (worker’s unions), etc. Civil society associations: women’s, student’s, prisoners, civil rights, and many other kinds of political associations Batzokis, herriko tabernas, etc.

Basque national identity  Basque identity is the complex result of two differents processes: the State-building and the Nation-building processes  Dr Jan Mansvelt Beck, University of Amsterdam explains us the Basque identity:  Basque nationalism combines different elements in the production of a national identity: language territories traditions history culture others

The Basque conflict: past and present  Past:  Present Spanish State point of view Basque nationalist point of view