Every year on 11 September, Catalonia celebrates its Diada, its National Day. But the Diada of 2012 was like none other, as an enormous crowd calling for Catalan independence took over the heart of Barcelona. Despite the carnival-like atmosphere that day, the people were very serious about their demands. On the back of this show of force, Catalonia's governing politicians turned secessionist claims into a new headache for a government in Madrid that had only just survived a near-meltdown of Spain's financial system. Four years later, the separatist challenge has neither come to fruition, nor faded away. This book looks at how and why Catalan separatism reached the top of Spain's political agenda, as well as its connection to the broader European malaise generated by flawed political responses to financial and other crises. Through extensive travel and reporting, as well as over fifty interviews with leading Catalan personalities, Raphael Minder explains how Catalans feel about their economy, history and culture, and how secessionist forces have tried to reshape Catalan identity.

About the Author
Raphael Minder is a journalist who spent ten years as a staff correspondent for the Financial Times in Paris, Brussels, Sydney and finally Hong Kong, as regional correspondent for Asia. Since 2010, he has been New York Times correspondent for Spain and Portugal, covering a financial crisis that has turned political, including the territorial conflict over Catalonia.

Reviews
`The current independence movement in Catalonia has wide implications not only for Spain but for Europe. In this timely and well-informed book the New York Times correspondent in Spain uses his numerous interviews with partisans and opponents of secession to give readers a balanced account of the issues at stake.' - John Elliott, Regius Professor Emeritus of Modern History, University of Oxford, 'A brilliant study of Spain's "Catalan problem" by a careful and conscientious journalist who has spoken to all the key players and missed absolutely nothing. Minder is an engaging writer, who combines sharp firsthand reporting with analysis that manages to be sceptical, thoughtful, insightful and non-partisan in equal measure. The result is an indispensable English-language guide to the political complexities of Catalonia's struggle for independence, which also takes readers deep into Catalan history and culture. A terrific achievement.' - Matthew Carr, author of Blood and Faith: The Purging of Muslim Spain, 1492-1614 and The Devils of Cardona



Book Information
ISBN 9781849048033
Author Raphael Minder
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd
Publisher C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd