A DisUnited Kingdom? Will Devolution Strengthen or Weaken the Union?

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A DisUnited Kingdom?Will Devolution Strengthen
or Weaken the Union?

• Jan Erik Mustad
• Senior Lecturer
• University of Agder
• jan.e.mustad_at_uia.no/ Tel [phone]
• www.janerikmustad.no

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Devolution and the Union

• The idea of Devolution
• Governance
• Identity and belonging
• Political parties
• Regional autonomy

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Devolution and the Union

• Will Devolution lead to the Unions break-up?
• After Britain or a Dis-
• United Kingdom
• The current state of the Union
• History, 1543, 1707, 1801, 1921
• Which parameters formed it?
• The Heart of the Matter

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Devolution and the Union

• Threats to the Union
• Internal forces
• Scotland
• The Irish Problem
• Nationalism vs.
• Identity
• Immigration
• Devolution?

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Devolution and the Union

• Unifying factors
• Monarchy
• Religion
• Britishness
• Outer enemy
• EU-USA
• Multiculturalism
• Devolution?