| |
| author |
Theresa Vaillancourt
| | title |
Scottish Independence in a Post-Brexit World:
A Legal Analysis on the Scottish Right to Hold an
Independence Referendum
| | abstract |
This thesis analyzes the legal mechanisms that could be used to achieve Scottish
independence, following the results of the 2016 European Union membership referendum, which
is commonly referred to as the "Brexit" referendum. My analysis is divided into three sections.
My first section surveys the historical relationship between Scotland and the other constituent
nations of the United Kingdom (UK), ranging from the Act of the Union (1707) to the 2016
Brexit referendum. In the second section, I examine the international legal debates on secession
and self-determination. My research then analyzes how these concepts are connected to
discourses on international human rights. My third section highlights the consequences of the
UK Government's failure to listen to the will of the Scots. More specifically, this section
emphasizes how low levels of trust in the UK Parliament to act in Scotland's best interests
combined with fears of economic insecurity, have led to increased Scottish support for
independence. Together, this analysis demonstrates that Scotland has the legal right to
independence under an international human rights framework.
| | school |
The College of Liberal Arts, Drew University
| | degree |
B.A. (2021)
|
| advisor |
Carlos Yordan
|
| committee |
Timothy Carter
Bernard Smith
|
| full text | TVaillancourt.pdf |
| |
