ORBi: Reuchamps Min - Do Identities Matter More than Party Interests in Territorial Politics? Insights from Belgium

Reference : Do Identities Matter More than Party Interests in Territorial Politics? Insights from Be...


	Document type :	Scientific congresses and symposiums : Unpublished conference
	Discipline(s) :	Law, criminology & political science : Political science, public administration & international relations
	To cite this reference:	http://hdl.handle.net/2268/109411

Title :	Do Identities Matter More than Party Interests in Territorial Politics? Insights from Belgium
Language :	English
Author, co-author :	Reuchamps, Min [Université de Liège - ULg > Département de science politique > Politique européenne >]
	Dave, Sinardet [ > > ]
	Dodeigne, Jérémy [Université de Liège - ULg > Département de science politique > Gouvernance et société >]
Publication date :	Jun-2012
Peer reviewed :	No
On invitation :	No
Event name :	Territorial Politics in Western and Eastern Europe
Event date :	14-15 June 2012
Event organizer :	Valentyna Romanova (Marie Curie International Incoming Fellow)
Event place (city) :	Edinburgh
Event country :	United Kingdom
Keywords :	[en] Territorial politics ; Federalism ; Belgium
Abstract :	[en] In territorial politics, identities are a chief variable of the political life. By definition, the ethno-linguistic identities play(ed) an important role in the federal dynamics of several highly divided societies. In most cases, the institutional design is in fact adapted or has been adapted to the ethno-linguistic divisions of the country. According to quite a few scholars, it is especially true for political elites who are not only shaped by this variable but also use this variable to legitimate their attitudes and actions. Therefore political elites of each ethno-linguistic group appeared to behave as monolithic blocks, standing against each other along ethno-linguistic lines. Nonetheless, this view neglects the role of party interests in explaining the behaviors of political elites. An important question for territorial politics can be raised: do identities matter more that party interests? The current reform of the Belgian state provides a fertile ground to test this hypothesis. To what extent, party interests can account for political elites’ position in the debate about the 6th Belgian constitutional reform? To explore these questions, we surveyed every representative of Belgium’s seven legislative assemblies with a standardized questionnaire (Summer 2011). This research will help us apprehend the rationale behind political elites’ attitudes – be it identities, party interests or a mix of them – negotiating the new boundaries of the state and above all shed light on territorial politics in Europe.
Research units :	The Europa Institute at the University of Edinburgh
Funders :	Marie Curie Programme ; Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence
Name of the research project :	Territorial politics in Ukraine during transition from authoritarian rule
Target :	Researchers ; Professionals ; Students
Permalink :	http://hdl.handle.net/2268/109411

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