Intellectuals and Secessionism in Catalonia and Flanders

The vast literature on the political sociology of intellectuals is inconclusive regarding the importance of that social class in creating, fostering, and disseminating nationalist ideas (see Boyer and Lomnitz 2005). Whereas some authors stress the importance of intellectuals in nationalist endeavours (intellectuals as actors, Anderson 1991; Breuilly 1993; Guibernau 1999, 2000; Smith 1999, 2006), others maintain that serious intellectual work is incompatible with the ideological certainties of nationalist discourse (intellectuals as skeptics, Benda 1927; Fanon 1961; Rosenberg 2004). This paper sheds light on this debate by examining the nationalist/secessionist preferences of Catalan and Flemish intellectuals, defined as tenured professors in economics, history, law, political science, and sociology departments. Based on an online survey of a sample of n=750 intellectuals we find that they do not differ from laymen: like the public at large, intellectuals are influenced by both ethnicity and socialization. Interestingly, however, Catalans and historians are more likely to be nationalist/secessionist than are Flemish, lawyers, and economists. This evidence supports the view that intellectuals live and work in, as opposed to beside, their times.