Prospects for an Independent Catalonia

The aim of this paper is to examine the factors that have triggered the recent shift from devolution to secession expressed by the Catalan grassroots movement which has been consolidated in the last 5 years or so. This movement stands in favour of the so-called ‘right to decide’ which specifically demands the right of Catalan citizens to be considered as a ‘demos’ able to decide upon its political future by means of holding a referendum on the issue. Conflict has emerged as a result of the Spanish state’s prohibition to allow for a referendum on that issue. The paper offers an overview of the origins of modern Catalan nationalism by tracing back its roots to Franco’s dictatorship and the subsequent transition to democracy. It analyses the main arguments behind the qualitative shift from devolution to secession embodied in the rise of a novel bottom up secessionist movement supporting the idea of holding a referendum on Catalan independence from Spain; so far, strictly forbidden by the Spanish State. The paper considers the impediments to a ‘referendum’ on Catalan independence founded upon the Spanish Constitution. To conclude, it examines the rise of a novel grassroots civil society movement demanding the right of Catalonia to decide upon its political future.     

Fourfold subalterns: Catalan,women, translators,and theorists

In Europe’s cultural poly-system, the two women translators examined in this paper can be considered subalterns four times over: because of their nation (Catalonia), gender (female), intellectual activity (translation), and genre (for daring to write translation theory). Born in the late nineteenth century, Carme Montoriol (Barcelona, 1893–1966) and Maria Antònia Salvà (Palma, Majorca, 1869 – Llucmajor, Majorca, 1958) were pioneering women of letters. These two, of different origins, were among the first Catalan women translators to reflect on translation in the male-dominated literary circles of the early twentieth century. In 1928, Montoriol added “Brief Introductory Notes” to her Catalan translation of all of Shakespeare’s sonnets (Els sonets de Shakespeare). In 1945, at the height of the terrible repression of Catalan language and literature by Franco’s dictatorship (1936–1975), Salvà wrote a brief but pertinent “Introduction” to her translation of the poems of St Thérèse of Lisieux (Poemes de santa Teresa de l’Infant Jesús). By framing these two paradigmatic translations and accompanying forewords in their context, we will attempt to ascertain how and why these Catalan translators (despite the restrictive, hostile political environment in the case of Salvà) quietly entered the realm of authorship, explained their work, and placed it in the limelight, how and why they employed what appeared to be a “discreet”, “humble” tone and discourse, and an almost colloquial rhetoric, and what relatively original translation ideas they held.     

Immigration reform,the INS,and the distribution of interior and border enforcement resources

This paper investigates the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) interior and border enforcement effort allocation choice following the enactment of IRCA in 1986. The INS increasingly allocated a disproportionate amount of resources along the border as a result of the new law. It is contended that this behavior is consistent with that of a public agency intent on maximizing its budget and not in accord with minimizing the undocumented population in the United States. The theory developed here is then used to evaluate proposals that could potentially reconcile the INS's objectives with those of the policy makers and the public.     

Nationalism and Intellectuals in Nations without States: the Catalan Case

This paper aims to provide a theoretical framework for the study of the relationship between intellectuals and nationalism in Western nations without states. The first part sets up a theoretical framework which includes a definition of the concepts of nation, state and nationalism and also introduces the concept of nations without states. It then establishes a distinction between 'state nationalism' and nationalism in 'nations without states'. The second part analyses the relationship between intellectuals and nationalism in the work of Elie Kedourie, Tom Nairn, John Breuilly and Anthony D. Smith. The third part considers the specific context within which intellectuals operate in nations without states. It concentrates on the study of the role of Catalan intellectuals in protecting their vernacular language and culture during Franco's regime (1939–75) together with the processes which, in the 1960s and 1970s, turned Catalan nationalism from an elite into a mass movement. Particular attention is given to the cultural resistance activities carried out by Catalan intellectuals during this period, the reasons why some intellectuals may feel attracted to nationalism, and the rational and emotional arguments employed by intellectuals as mobilizing agents.     

Haplotype frequencies of eight Y-chromosome short tandem repeats loci in four Amerindian populations (state of Hidalgo, Mexico)

Population: Amerindian populations: Huastecos (n=97), Otomies de la Sierra (n=41), Otomies del Valle (n=40), and Tepehuas (n=13).