Debating Recognition and Empowerment for Minority Nations in the Age of Uncertainty

Current-day politics confirms a recrudescence of interest for self-rule in several democratic plurinational settings. Catalonia, Quebec and Scotland are the three main cases that currently monopolize international attention. In those three regions, political parties wishing to reverse homogeneizing trends with respect to language and identity have become increasingly vocal and have been able to mobilize political support efficiently. This leads to the question: are the circumstances today more conducive to the emergence of new states in democratic political settings, particularly in countries where the demos is fragmented or plural? It would be intellectually unsatisfying to seek to give a definite opinion on this subject. Yet, it is useful to identify some principles that would make it possible to envision such a scenario. I will introduce and discuss three principles: the democratic principle, the principle of feasibility and the principle of effectivity.