Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Power Of Myths And Storytelling In Nation Building: The Campaign For The Independence Of Catalonia From Spain (2012-2015), César García

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Arts and Humanities

Background There is no nation without its origin story. The recent success of the Catalan campaign for independence (2012–2015) can be explained by a strong capacity to build and convey a story capable of informing, persuading, and eliciting emotional responses from Catalans and other Spaniards.

Analysis The recent Catalan nationalism narrative has been forged by updating the foundational myths of Catalan nationalism through four main plots—quest, escape, revenge, and transformation—that with a pragmatic character have been able to integrate current affairs into the old myths.

Conclusion and implications This article explores the elements of the new Catalan nationalism narrative by …