Narrating constitutional futures: Comparative emotional and identity dynamics in the Scottish independence and EU referendums

Oliver, Thom; Winters, Kristi

Abstract

This article explores the emotional, symbolic, and identity-based dimensions of constitutional referendums by comparing qualitative data from the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum and the 2016 UK European Union Referendum. Drawing on original focus group and interview transcripts from the Qualitative Election Study of Britain (QESB), the analysis applies a 12-theme framework to examine how participants in both referendums narrated political change, assessed risk, and expressed trust, identity, and motivation. While both referendums posed binary questions of constitutional significance, the Scottish vote was often framed by participants as a hopeful and empowering moment of civic possibility. In contrast, the EU referendum was marked by confusion, mistrust, and emotional fallout, particularly among Remain voters, who often questioned the legitimacy of the process and its implications.
The article contributes to growing scholarship on the emotional and narrative dimensions of referendums (e.g. Laclau 2005; Laffin et al. 2007; McAngus 2016; Renwick & Lamb 2013) and speaks directly to debates in small state and sub-state politics (Keating 2001; Hepburn 2011; Anckar 2008). It argues that the success or failure of a 'Yes' vote is not merely a function of rational calculation or elite persuasion, but deeply shaped by the cultural legitimacy of self-governance, the emotional salience of collective identity, and the availability of trusted political alternatives. The analysis shows that a 'Yes' vote becomes viable not when facts persuade, but when change feels emotionally resonant, institutionally credible, and symbolically real.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: Referendums in Small States and Territories: The Elusive “Yes” Vote
• Start Date: Apr 16, 2025
• End Date: Apr 17, 2025
• Deposit Date: Apr 29, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 29, 2025
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/14333599