10 Aug Scotland field work research in August & September 2014 about #Indyref & Media report

After I presented ‘Postindependence’ book in June 2014, and reported to media, I continued the fieldwork in Scotland. Meanwhile I wrote some related articles:

1. Postindependencia: 10 claves para preparar el derecho a decidir en Euskal Herria y en la UE (Part I). For Euskonews and AberriBerri digital magazines. (1 August 2014)
2. Eskoziatik Demokrazia eta Independentziaz Telegrama (Part II). For BERRIA Basque newspaper and media. (24 August 2014)
3. Postindependence in Scotland, Catalonia and the Basque Country: City-Regional Small Nations beyond Nation-States (Part III)
   1. For The Future of the UK and Scotland,
   2. Open Democracy ,
   3. The Scotsman -Scotland’s National Newspaper – ,
   4. Politics in Spires from the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford
   5. LSE Europp publications
   6. The Breaker

Besides, taking into account the relevance of the Scottish Independence referendum #indyref for the forthcoming context in the Basque Country and Catalonia (in Spain), I am disseminating via media collaboration some conclusions of the on-going work-in-progress field work research in Scotland, as follows:

1. ‘Escocia será independiente’ in the Basque Public Radio Station, Radio Euskadi – Boulevard programme with the Basque writer, Bernardo Atxaga. (in Spanish)(28 August 2014)
2. ‘Ez da modu kontua. Independentzia geratzeko iritsi da Eskoziara’ in the Basque Public Radio Stataion, Euskadi Irratia – Faktoria programme. (in Basque) (1 September 2014)
3. ‘Erresuma Batutik Eskoziara trenean, demokrazia eta independentziaz idatzitako gutuna Euskal Herriarentzat‘ in the following e-magazines Norabidea, Euskonews and AberriBerri.
4. ETB: Basque Public TV. 18th September.
5. 11TB: Basque TV & Norabidea digital media: “Eskoziaren erabakia” Special edition. 19th September. 8PM.
6. Onda Vasca. 20th September: 8:15AM.

Meanwhile, I will be presenting two papers in two international conferences regarding this research such as:

1. Policy & Politics Conference organized by the University of Bristol (UK). ‘Postindependence: Comparing City-Regional Devolution Strategic Scenarios in Scotland, Catalonia and the Basque Country’. 17th September 2014.
2. RSA Regional Studies Association Conference in Sheefield (UK). ‘Postindependence in Scotland, Catalonia and the Basque Country: City-Regional Small Nations Beyond Nation-States’. 30th October 2014.

And giving some conferences in the Basque Country:

1. BIA Bilbao Regeneration forum chaif in the session about ‘Cities & Participation’. 26th September 3pm.
2. St. Sebastian Public Library with the journalist, Mariano Ferrer. 29th September 7pm.
3. Alkartasuna Fundazioa: Olite and Pamplona-Iruña conferences on Postindependence.

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Edinburgh is always a good city to walk insofar as the fringe and the military tatoo turistic mainstream doesn’t make difficult to contemplate the city as Patrick Geddes, the Scottish biologist, sociologist, geographer, philanthropist, pioneered town planner and his own city regarding the region. In this context is more the media global impact focused on indyref than indeed locals and pedestrians showing off their inner (or outer, depending on the personal social attitude) decision for the answer on 18th September.

Many look asides. Some rides their bicycles speeding up while they wear the bumper sticker #YES proudly enough. Some others are quiet as the man that paid attention to the paper money when he realized it was coined in England – he smiled. He had a #NO in his inner mind. Everybody lives their on decisions and wonders. Nevertheless, all of them are pretty much aware of they are referring to their future. The future of all.

Remembering Patrick Geddes: Here starts my field work research in Edinburgh.

Let’s keep going with the media summary. Here in a nutshell what has being published about the Scottish context among a massive number of publication, reports and reviews. Just a sample I collected in the fist week:

• @The Conversation > Scottish independence: simple question – but no easy answers by Michael Keating.
• @TheEconomist “Peak Nationalism” > Even statusquo small victory would shake the union #indyref might never again be as favourable as it is now
• @ScotCen > #indyref Campaign Divides Public, full #ssa14 press release.
• @The Conversation > #indyref shows it is possible for a nation to debate democratic questions in an intelligent, informed & inclusive way. Democracy rather than Independence itself, let’s say it in a nutshell. By Glyn Davis.
  
• @LSEEuroppblog > There are benefits to viewing Europe as a collection of cities and regions rather than as a group of nation states
• @UKScotland >Scotland’s Decision: 16 Questions to think about for the referendum on 18 September

Edinburgh

After a quick break by heading to England, Birmingham, very much impressed with the huge debate and production to do so, in Scotland. Last day, from the Basque Country, someone argued saying there were no need to have any research in order to avoid any debate. I would answer to him – he was definitely not interested in independence – that Scotland what is making clear is that independence process could be the best ingredient to reinforce the political participation and debate by increasing the possibilities to encourage citizens to trust differently – but maybe again too – with Politics, with P (in capital letters). Just some examples so far:

• Festival of Politics
• Nuclear weapons controversial debate.
• The economic consequences of the Scottish independence (free download book).

The field work research has been carried out from 11th to 22nd August between Edinburgh and Glasgow by interviewing politicians, policy-makers, CEOs, businessmen, academics, journalists, activists and citizens from the YES and NO sides. Here some insights and data alongside the process:

Edinburgh – Old Town Cockburn St.

Can(‘t) – #indyref by @YesScotland

Twitter behaviour in the Salmond & Darling debate 5th August 2014

Holyrood Scottish Parliament

Photo taken from @TheGuardian.

Festival of Politics 2014 15-17th August #fop2014 at the Holyrood Parliament

Central Library Edinburgh

The Queen & Scots

Map

Holyrood Parliament and Mountain

Business in Scotland event in Glasgow attende by @EnglishScots4Yes

Currency (Union/Euro?)

Campaigners @YesScotland

#Fringe & #indyref merge: Devolved blue sky

Undecided voter: Glaswegian working-class male

Undercided voters: Gender gap

Edinburgh from Waterloo Place

#7MilesJog at the end of the fielwork reaching Holyrood Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, wearing the t-shirt of the most popular half-marathon in the Basque Country, Behobia-St. Sebastian. The t-shirt shows word in Basque ‘zorionak’ that means ‘congratulations’. Congrats for the great democratic debate.

#Fringe festival: Cannot be avoided along the Royal Mile in Edinburgh

Edinburgh narrow streets, shortcuts upon the Royal Mile

Tall houses in Edinburgh’s Old Town

From Princess St, the Castle on the top

Pipe sound in Waverley Station (Edinburgh)

Loyalist-Unionist from Lisburn, Belfast (Northern Ireland) demonstrating in front of the City Hall in Glasgow (George Sq.)

After attending the public meeting organized by Business in Scotland in Glasgow, National Piping Centre.

An intervention on the public event in Glasgow.

The general picture of the panel and the audience in Glasgow.

Back to Edinburgh, bumped into Canadian/North American neohippiesm/hipster busker band in the Royal Mile at #fringe (Edinburgh). John Hume statue is on the left handside.

Glasgow City Hall (George Sq.).

On the top of Holyrood mountain (Edinburgh).

Into the Scottish Parliament at #fop2014 Festival of Politics 2014: In Our Words.

At the #fop2014 Festival of Politics 2014: Renewing Local Democracy at the Scottish Parliament.

At the #fop2014 Festival of Politics 2014: EU Membership, the UK and Scotland at the Scottish Parliament.

At the #fop2014 Festival of Politics 2014: ‘To See Ourselves as Others See Us’ at the Scottish Parliament.

At the #fop2014 Festival of Politics 2014: Pools and Polling at the Scottish Parliament.

Edinburgh coffee & sunshines break.

Adam Smith, quoted the father of the Political Economy permanently in the #indyref debate.

Tapestry at the Scottish Parliament.

At the #fop2014 Festival of Politics 2014: ‘To See Ourselves as Others See Us’ at the Scottish Parliament.

Edinburgh: Afternoon northern shadows & sun.

Grassmarket & Old Town: Devolved Sky I (Edinburgh).

Grassmarket & Old Town: Devolved Sky II (Edinburgh).

The Castle through the window (Edinburgh).

The Castle through the window: Zoom + (Edinburgh).

Tie, suit & hectic agenda: Interviews, meetings & bookshops. Fieldwork I

Grassmarket & the Castle.

Ready to post the telegram to @Berria & @UKScotland

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