Breton Ethnopolitical Regionalism: Evolution and Contemporary Trends

The article examines the evolution and contemporary trends in the development of ethno-political regionalism in Brittany. By analysing the transformation of ethno-cultural and ethno-regional identities, the authors demonstrate how, using Brittany as an example, identity characteristics can be used as a resource for ethno-political mobilisation. The object of the study is Breton ethno-political regionalism as a socio-political phenomenon. The subject of the study is the transformation of ideological trends and institutional practices of Breton regionalism in the 20th–21st centuries.The aim of the study is to analyse the evolution of Breton ethno-political regionalism and identify contemporary trends in its transformation. The working hypothesis is that, in contemporary conditions, Breton regionalism is shifting from radical forms to institutionalised forms of cultural and political participation integrated into the European agenda. The objectives of the study include: 1) describing the historical dynamics of Breton regionalism; 2) identifying key ideological trends; 3) analysing contemporary forms of cultural and political participation; 4) assessing the role of European institutions in the development of regionalism. The article analyses key ideological trends represented among Breton regionalists. It considers a range of positions, from primordialist concepts characteristic of right-wing movements to Eurocentric approaches. In addition, it emphasises the role of these processes in the institutional rethinking of the concept of the nation state. The work uses a sociocultural methodological approach, comparative ethnopolitical and systemic analysis, as well as content analysis of open empirical sources. The authors conclude that Breton ethnopolitical regionalism in modern conditions links its future to the pan-European agenda. Brittany, traditionally considered an integral part of the Republic, has often been neglected by researchers, unlike, for example, Scotland or Catalonia, where regionalisation processes are more pronounced. According to the authors, Brittany illustrates the pan-European trend towards the formation of multi-level identities, in which ethno-cultural and ethno-regional, national and pan-European levels can complement each other. Using Brittany as an example, the authors show that ethno-political regionalism can take the form of ethno-political participation based on respect for the ethno-cultural and ethno-regional identity of a particular people. In this context, Brittany becomes a model of new ethnopolitical subjectivity, in which ethnocultural/ethnoregional identity is used not only for isolation, but also for institutional integration and rethinking of the unitarian principles of nationhood.