Measuring evolving regional autonomy demands and statutes : introducing the Sub-state Autonomy Scale (SAS)

Abstract

This article introduces the Sub-state Autonomy Scale (SAS), an indicator and database for autonomy demands and statutes at the sub-state level. The usefulness of the SAS comes with two analytical properties. First, it allows evaluating autonomy in kind (whether competences are administrative or legislative), in degree (how much each dimension is present) and by competences (as a function of the extent of comprised policy domains) at the same time. Second, it can be used for analysing both autonomy demands and statutes. Taken together, the two aim at a refined analysis of sub-state mobilization and restructuring as well as their interplay.