The Catalan crisis is key to the rise of the Spanish far right | Umut Özkirimli
(The Guardian Spain)

The Vox party drew on Catalan unrest to gain seats in this week´s election. Both sides feed off the other´s nationalist visionIt seemed like a very good idea at the time. A period of research leave in Barcelona would allow me to put everything I knew about nationalism to the test. I would see up close how competing nationalist visions corrode harmony and peaceful coexistence among culturally diverse groups. I would understand how the principle of national self-determination could inspire a people to seek their own independent state. But also grasp how the idea of national unity threatened diversity. More specifically, I could find out how the mood in Barcelona, once a bastion of multiculturalism and conviviality, had turned to such anger and how Spain´s exceptionalism in not having a far-right political party was coming to an end. So I accepted the offer of a visiting professorship in Barcelona without much hesitation. Related: This is Europe: stay close with the Guardian´s email updates What unites the demonstrators and strikers is anger at what they perceive to be a corrupt political elite Continue reading...