ABSTRACT
The fundamental question in the development of a research design is how the theories discussed in Chapter 2 can be tested. In approaching this question, it is crucial to find a way to measure levels of regionalism within different regions. After all, it is impossible to explain why regionalism is more widespread in some areas than in others without knowing which regions do actually manage to mobilize their populations. Equally, it is impossible to explain why regionalism grows or decreases over time without knowing at what times regionalism is strong or weak. So far, most studies of regionalism have analysed developments in individual regions, resulting in theories that are suited to explaining these cases, but not necessarily others. Larger cross-sectional studies have mainly been based on qualitative data. Therefore, little work has been done on the question of how regionalism should be measured, and data on the phenomenon are sparse. Without data and a method for testing the theories, we cannot determine whether the findings are generalizable and reliable. For the field to progress, it needs theories that seek to explain the varying degrees of regionalism across different regions, as well as over time. This chapter develops an operational measure of regionalism that can be applied across a large number of European regions, and it proceeds to use the Eurobarometer survey series to create a data set showing the distribution of regionalism across Western European countries. The measure is based on a set of questions covering popular feelings of attachment towards regions and countries. Once the reliability and validity of the measure have been established, the chapter presents some descriptive data on estimated levels of regionalism in a selection of European regions for illustrative purposes.
