Dear CANS colleagues
With apologies for the delay, but I now attach the definitive CANS dataset with supporting materials, along with confirmation of our next meeting in Brussels on 12-13 November.
Integrated Dataset
The CANS attachments are as follows:
1) CANS Merged Dataset Round 6
-This is (we hope) the definitive, final integrated version of our various regional datasets. As you can see ('round 6') it took an enormous amount of work in synchronising codings, with some especially difficult issues e.g. in working across what in the end were quite varied approaches to the demographic questions. Many thanks to Ailsa for putting this together.
-We had some discussion in Florenceabout operationalising our independent variables (strength of regional identity, strength of regional institutions, regional economic disparity). In some cases we have ourselves generated such variables through the CANS questionnaire (on various identity measures, and on subjective assessments of regional institutional competence and economic performance. In some cases we needed to look for ‘objective indicators’.
-Ailsa has added to the dataset
a)consolidated variables on identity and subjective regional institutional competence from the CANS data and
b)‘objective' indicators of regional institutional strength (the Marks/Hooghe/Schakel Regional Authority Index, in both its 'self-rule' and 'shared-rule' variants) and several GDP-related indicators. These consolidated and additional variables are described in the attachment entitled ...
2) Operationalising variables
... And this attachment also points to a number of consolidated dependent variables on social solidarity and political participation that colleagues might like to use.
3) Syntax for merged dataset
Described by Ailsa as 'for any quanty people to see exactly how recoding was done'
4) CANS Codebook
A master codebook for the integrated dataset, mapping out how all the above is captured in the integrated dataset
5) Problems
A list of issues - in part translation, in part pollster error (embarrassingly in the UK case), mostly about demographics - that we need to bear in mind once we start doing systematic comparative work
Brussels meeting 12-13 November
We agreed in Florence that we would meet in Brussels on 12-13 November. We wanted to achieve a number of things in this meeting:
1)To produce a set of country-by-country analyses, comparing across regions within each country, and to do this in the context of our original research design, in essence:
some mix of identity/regional institutional/regional economic variables impacts on how far citizens engage in political participation/understand social solidarity at regional as opposed to statewide scales)
These country analyses would then be developed further and finalised at a meeting in spring 2010 to form the heart of the main CANS-wide publication.It is important that the country analyses are restricted to the core questions in the CANS dataset; the additional country-specific questions used in the UK, Spain and France should not form part of our discussions in Brussels.
We suggested in Florence that each country case might also include reflection on traditions of social science analysis in each country, especially concerning the extent to which the regional scale has been taken as a unit of analysis. That reflection should be about social science traditions in general, and public attitudes research in particular. Some thoughts on this in a quite general sense are contained in my and Dan Wincott’s paper on ‘methodological nationalism’, which I attach.
2)To begin discussion of how to use the dataset to carry out comparative analysis. The UK team will offer some initial thoughts on this. I would anticipate some level of comparative analysis across the cases to be part of the main CANS-wide publication.
3)To explore a reverse causality, as suggested by Julia Oberhofer in Florence, that is using CANS to open up questions of whether practicing politics at regional scales impacts on the ways citizens identify themselves. This is an issue with pedigree in the regionalism/federalism literature and one I’d be happy to explore with Julia
It would be good if I could get your views on this as a broad agenda, so that I can finalise a programme.
Our meeting in Brussels will be at Welsh Assembly Government EU Office in Wales House/Ty Cymru, Rond-point Schuman 11, Brussels (the same place as our earlier Brussels meeting).
I am anticipating that we will start with lunch on 12 November, working then from 2-6pm, then reconvening on 13 November from 9am with a mid-afternoon finish. This will give us nine hour-long sessions, e.g. as
- Introduction and Reflections on the Merged Dataset (Charlie and Ailsa)
2.-6. Country Reports (all)
7. Strategies for Comparative Analysis (UK team)
8. Reversing the Perspective: Regional Politics and Regional Identity (Charlie and Julia)
9. Next Steps
I will need to make hotel arrangements, so would be very grateful if you could let me know a) if you will be attending and b) whether you need overnight accommodation on 12th November.
Best
Charlie