Nicola McEwen

Last updated

Nicola McEwen

FRSE
Occupation(s)professor of territorial politics and co-director of the Centre on Constitutional Change
Employer The University of Edinburgh

Nicola McEwen, FRSE is professor of territorial politics at the University of Edinburgh, co-director of the Centre on Constitutional Change, and senior fellow at the UK in a Changing Europe. [1] She became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2021. She leads research on devolution and inter-institutional relations. [2] She provides advice to governments and public bodies and gives media expert perspectives internationally. [3] [4] McEwen's research and insights are sought for public engagement and political or business briefings during major events like the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum, [5] and the Smith Commission, [6] UK BREXIT [7] and recent elections [8] such as to the Scottish Parliament. [9] [10] [11] She has a reputation for being authoritative and trustworthy in engaging with senior politicians, civil service and civic society and has regular media engagements on various topics. [12] McEwen is consulted on aspects such as potential impact on welfare of Scottish independence, [13] or informing parliament on the impact of BREXIT [14] on intra-UK relations and communicating her findings and explanations to public media. [15] [16]

Contents

Education and career

Graduated with a B.A.(Honours) in politics and philosophy from Strathclyde University in 1992, McEwen took an M.A. in Political Science at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario in 1994, and a Ph.D. in Politics from Sheffield University in 2001.

She has been employed at the University of Edinburgh since 2001, starting in the School of Politics as a lecturer, then senior lecturer before taking on the role of Director of Public Policy at the university's Academy of Government in 2012, and Associate Director for Knowledge Exchange and Impact in the School of Social and Political Science to 2016.

McEwen headed up the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Centre on Constitutional Change from 2013 where she is co-director. She is a Professor of Territorial Politics (from 2014) covering politics and international relations. [17]

She is also a Fellow of the Constitution Unit at University College London. [2]

Research

McEwen has been Fellow on Between Two Unions: The Constitutional Future of the Islands after Brexit, a multi-facet programme funded by ESRC to examine the inter-relationships between institutions, constitutional issues, economic union issues and the social impact of the UK leaving the EU. [18] She is Senior Fellow on another major collaborative research into UK in a Changing Europe . [2] She is currently leading on a £0.5m research project called 'A Family of Nations? Brexit, Devolution and the Union. [12]

A previous 2017 programme she investigated was on the Repatriation of Competences and the Implications for Devolution in the fields of overlapping jurisdictions on agriculture, the environment/energy, and justice & home affairs. [19]

More information on McEwen's research is published by the University of Edinburgh. [20]

Selected publications

Selected by the School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh: [21]

Journal articles and book chapters

Books and special issues [21]

Awards

Related Research Articles

The Scottish National Party is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party. The party holds 63 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament and 43 out of the 59 Scottish seats in the House of Commons in Westminster. It has 453 local councillors of 1,227.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of the United Kingdom</span> Political system of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The politics of the United Kingdom functions within a constitutional monarchy where executive power is delegated by legislation and social conventions to a unitary parliamentary democracy. From this a hereditary monarch, currently Charles III, serves as head of state while the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, currently Rishi Sunak, serves as the elected head of government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Parliament</span> Devolved parliament of Scotland

The Scottish Parliament is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyrood. The Parliament is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), elected for five-year terms under the regionalised form of additional member system (MMP): 73 MSPs represent individual geographical constituencies elected by the plurality (first-past-the-post) system, while a further 56 are returned as list members from eight additional member regions. Each region elects seven party-list MSPs. Each region elects 15 to 17 MSPs in total. The most recent general election to the Parliament was held on 6 May 2021, with the Scottish National Party winning a plurality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish independence</span> Political movement advocating for Scotlands independence from the United Kingdom

Scottish independence is the idea of Scotland regaining its independence and once again becoming a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom. The term Scottish independence refers to the political movement that is campaigning to bring it about.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senedd</span> Devolved parliament of Wales

The Senedd, officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and Senedd Cymru in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees to certain taxes, and scrutinises the Welsh Government. It is a bilingual institution, with both Welsh and English being the official languages of its business. From its creation in May 1999 until May 2020, the Senedd was known as the National Assembly for Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Scotland</span> Overview of the politics of Scotland

The politics of Scotland operate within the constitution of the United Kingdom, of which Scotland is a country. Scotland is a democracy, being represented in both the Scottish Parliament and the Parliament of the United Kingdom since the Scotland Act 1998. Most executive power is exercised by the Scottish Government, led by the First Minister of Scotland, the head of government in a multi-party system. The judiciary of Scotland, dealing with Scots law, is independent of the legislature and the Scottish Government. Scots law is primarily determined by the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government shares some executive powers with the Government of the United Kingdom's Scotland Office, a British government department led by the Secretary of State for Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry McLeish</span> First minister of Scotland from 2000 to 2001

Henry Baird McLeish is a Scottish politician, author, academic and former professional footballer who served as First Minister of Scotland from 2000 to 2001. With a term of just 1 year and 12 days, he is the shortest serving holder of that office. He served as the Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland from 2000 to 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Referendums in the United Kingdom</span>

Referendums in the United Kingdom are occasionally held at a national, regional or local level. Historically, national referendums are rare due to the long-standing principle of parliamentary sovereignty. There is no constitutional requirement to hold a national referendum for any purpose or on any issue however the UK Parliament is free to legislate through an Act of Parliament for a referendum to be held on any question at any time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Conservatives</span> Part of the British Conservative Party

The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party is part of the UK Conservative Party active in Scotland. It is a centre right party. The party holds 31 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament and 7 out of the 59 Scottish seats in the House of Commons in Westminster It has 209 local councillors of 1,227.

Full fiscal autonomy (FFA) – also known as devolution max, devo-max, or fiscal federalism – is a particular form of far-reaching devolution proposed for Scotland and for Wales. The term has come to describe a constitutional arrangement in which instead of receiving a block grant from the UK Exchequer as at present, the Scottish Parliament or the Senedd would receive all taxation levied in Scotland or Wales; it would be responsible for most spending in Scotland or Wales but make payments to the UK government to cover Scotland or Wales's share of the cost of providing certain UK-wide services, largely defence and foreign relations. Scottish/Welsh fiscal autonomy – stopping short of full political independence – is usually promoted by advocates of a federal United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish devolution</span> Since 1707 Acts of Union to present day

Devolution is the process in which the central British parliament grants administrative powers to the devolved Scottish Parliament. Prior to the advent of devolution, some had argued for a Scottish Parliament within the United Kingdom – while others have since advocated for complete independence. The people of Scotland first got the opportunity to vote in a referendum on proposals for devolution in 1979 and, although a majority of those voting voted 'Yes', the referendum legislation also required 40% of the electorate to vote 'Yes' for the plans to be enacted and this was not achieved. A second referendum opportunity in 1997, this time on a strong proposal, resulted in an overwhelming 'Yes' victory, leading to the Scotland Act 1998 being passed and the Scottish Parliament being established in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devolution in the United Kingdom</span> Granting governmental powers to parts of the UK

In the United Kingdom, devolution is the Parliament of the United Kingdom's statutory granting of a greater level of self-government to the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the London Assembly and to their associated executive bodies the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and in England, the Greater London Authority and combined authorities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruth Davidson</span> Scottish politician

Ruth Elizabeth Davidson, Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links,, is a Scottish politician who served as Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from 2011 to 2019 and Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party in the Scottish Parliament from 2020 to 2021. She served as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Glasgow from 2011 to 2016 and for Edinburgh Central from 2016 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smith Commission</span> Cameron-era government body on Scottish devolution

The Smith Commission was announced by Prime Minister David Cameron on 19 September 2014 in the wake of the 'No' vote in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. The establishment of the commission was part of the process of fulfilling The Vow made by the leaders of the three main unionist parties during the last days of the referendum campaign. The Vow promised the devolution of more powers from the Parliament of the United Kingdom to the Scottish Parliament in the event of a No vote.

The UK in a Changing Europe is an initiative intended to improve public access to research on the relationship between the UK and the European Union (EU). It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), and is based at King's College London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Proposed second Scottish independence referendum</span> Possible future referendum

A second referendum on independence from the United Kingdom (UK) has been proposed by the Scottish Government. An independence referendum was first held on 18 September 2014, with 55% voting "No" to independence. The Scottish Government stated in its white paper for independence that voting Yes was a "once in a generation opportunity to follow a different path, and choose a new and better direction for our nation". Following the "No" vote, the cross party Smith Commission proposed areas that could be devolved to the Scottish Parliament; this led to the passing of the Scotland Act 2016, formalising new devolved policy areas in time for the 2016 Scottish Parliament election campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intergovernmental relations in the United Kingdom</span> Of central and devolved administrations

In the United Kingdom, intergovernmental relations are the coordination and engagement between the UK Government and devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister and Heads of Devolved Governments Council is where the heads of these administrations meet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federalism in the United Kingdom</span> Proposed constitutional reform of a division of powers

Federalism in the United Kingdom aims at constitutional reform to achieve a federal UK or a British federation, where there is a division of legislative powers between two or more levels of government, so that sovereignty is decentralised between a federal government and autonomous governments in a federal system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020</span> UK law relating to internal trade

The United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed in December 2020. Its purpose is to prevent internal trade barriers within the UK, and to restrict the legislative powers of the devolved administrations in economic matters. It is one of several pieces of legislation concerning trade that were passed following the European Union membership referendum, as after Brexit the UK is no longer subject to EU law. It introduces principles of mutual recognition and non-discrimination into UK trade law.

Kirsty Hughes, Ph.D, FRSE is a political scientist, founder and Director of Scottish Centre on European Relations, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE).

References

  1. ↑ "About us". UK in a changing Europe. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Nicola McEwen". Centre on Constitutional Change. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  3. ↑ "This Woman Is Forecast to be the Biggest Winner of the U.K. Election". Time. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  4. ↑ Jefferson, Rodney; Reid, Alastair (22 September 2020). "Boris Johnson's Policies Have Bolstered Scotland's Nationalists". Bloomberg.
  5. ↑ "Scottish independence: Edinburgh University runs online referendum course". BBC News. 24 August 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  6. ↑ "Smith Commission timetable 'unrealistic'". BBC News. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "The Brexit vote and the Union: Scotland five years on". UK in a changing Europe. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  8. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 - Westminster Hour, 09/05/2021". BBC. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  9. ↑ "Nicola McEwen on BBC Radio Scotland: Scottish election results". UK in a changing Europe. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  10. ↑ Dickie, Mure (12 May 2021). "Alex Salmond's political future in doubt after dismal Scottish election". www.ft.com. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  11. ↑ Landler, Mark (8 May 2021). "Scotland Election Results Complicate Hopes for Independence Referendum". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  12. 1 2 "A Family of Nations? Brexit, Devolution and the Union". UKRI. June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  13. ↑ "Nicola McEwen". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  14. ↑ "The relationship between the UK and Scottish Governments - Scottish Affairs Committee - House of Commons". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  15. ↑ "Nicola McEwen". The Telegraph. 23 January 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  16. ↑ "Divided nation | Spectator Events". events.spectator.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  17. ↑ ORCID. "Nicola McEwen (0000-0002-1093-6246)". orcid.org. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  18. ↑ "Research projects". Centre on Constitutional Change. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  19. ↑ "The repatriation of competences: implications for devolution". UK in a changing Europe. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  20. ↑ "Nicola McEwen".
  21. 1 2 "Nicola McEwen | School of Social and Political Science". www.sps.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  22. ↑ McEwen, Nicola (3 April 2020). "Negotiating Brexit: power dynamics in British intergovernmental relations". Regional Studies. 55 (9): 1538–1549. doi:10.1080/00343404.2020.1735000. hdl:20.500.11820/f9c8694f-cf8a-44a6-af76-92f7a23fdb5e. ISSN   0034-3404. S2CID   216295215.
  23. ↑ McEwen, Nicola; Kenny, Michael; Sheldon, Jack; Swan, Coree Brown (2020). "Intergovernmental Relations in the UK: Time for a Radical Overhaul?". The Political Quarterly. 91 (3): 632–640. doi:10.1111/1467-923X.12862. ISSN   1467-923X. PMC   7323457 . PMID   32836409.
  24. ↑ Levrat, Nicolas; Sidjanski, Dusan; Saint-Ouen, François (2020). L'Union européenne et les nationalismes régionaux The European Union and Regional Nationalisms. Université de Genève. ISBN   978-2-8399-2935-6.
  25. ↑ Cairney, Paul; McHarg, Aileen; McEwen, Nicola; Turner, Karen (1 June 2019). "How to conceptualise energy law and policy for an interdisciplinary audience: The case of post-Brexit UK". Energy Policy. 129: 459–466. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2019.02.022. hdl: 1893/28946 . ISSN   0301-4215. S2CID   84181007.
  26. ↑ McEwen, Nicola (1 April 2018). "Brexit and Scotland: between two unions". British Politics. 13 (1): 65–78. doi:10.1057/s41293-017-0066-4. hdl: 20.500.11820/d53c9fda-d4f4-4862-a1bf-5244ac21ef03 . ISSN   1746-9198. S2CID   158770922.
  27. ↑ "Reforming Intergovernmental Relations in the United Kingdom". www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  28. ↑ Banting, Keith; McEwen, Nicola (2018), Keating, Michael; Laforest, Guy (eds.), "Inequality, Redistribution and Decentralization in Canada and the United Kingdom", Constitutional Politics and the Territorial Question in Canada and the United Kingdom: Federalism and Devolution Compared, Comparative Territorial Politics, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 105–133, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-58074-6_5, ISBN   978-3-319-58074-6 , retrieved 24 June 2021
  29. ↑ McEwen, Nicola (20 October 2017). "Still better together? Purpose and power in intergovernmental councils in the UK". Regional & Federal Studies. 27 (5): 667–690. doi:10.1080/13597566.2017.1389724. hdl: 20.500.11820/f09edd15-c6f4-46da-b196-7599fce0064c . ISSN   1359-7566. S2CID   158523032.
  30. ↑ McEwen, Nicola (16 February 2017), Keating, Michael (ed.), "Welfare", Debating Scotland, Oxford University Press, pp. 84–101, doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198789819.003.0005, ISBN   978-0-19-878981-9 , retrieved 24 June 2021
  31. ↑ A Wealthier, Fairer Scotland: The Political Economy of Constitutional Change. Edinburgh University Press. 2017. ISBN   978-1-4744-1642-9. JSTOR   10.3366/j.ctt1g0503c.
  32. ↑ McEwen, Nicola (23 June 2016). "A Constitution in Flux: the Dynamics of Constitutional Change after the Referendum". The Scottish Independence Referendum: Constitutional and Political Implications. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198755517.003.0010.
  33. ↑ Mcewen, Nicola; Petersohn, Bettina (2015). "Between Autonomy and Interdependence: The Challenges of Shared Rule after the Scottish Referendum". The Political Quarterly. 86 (2): 192–200. doi:10.1111/1467-923X.12162. ISSN   1467-923X.
  34. ↑ Royles, Elin; McEwen, Nicola (2 November 2015). "Empowered for action? Capacities and constraints in sub-state government climate action in Scotland and Wales". Environmental Politics. 24 (6): 1034–1054. doi:10.1080/09644016.2015.1053726. hdl: 20.500.11820/2b2544eb-bbeb-4d2c-9bca-36a7c44e006a . ISSN   0964-4016. S2CID   155533775.
  35. ↑ Henderson, Ailsa; McEwen, Nicola (2015). "Regions as Primary Political Communities: A Multi-Level Comparative Analysis of Turnout in Regional Elections". Publius: The Journal of Federalism. 45 (2): 189–215. doi:10.1093/publius/pju040. hdl: 20.500.11820/35996da7-5c20-4ae4-9167-4e1512ca0e48 . ISSN   1747-7107.
  36. 1 2 Bolleyer, Nicole; Swenden, Wilfried; McEwen, Nicola (1 July 2014). "Constitutional dynamics and partisan conflict: A comparative assessment of multi-level systems in Europe". Comparative European Politics. 12 (4): 531–555. doi:10.1057/cep.2014.12. hdl: 20.500.11820/607fd21a-7b23-4209-bcba-442ed4cf5bb8 . ISSN   1740-388X. S2CID   145751892.
  37. ↑ Swenden, Wilfried; McEwen, Nicola (2014). "UK Devolution in the Shadow of Hierarchy: Intergovernmental Relations and Party Politics". Comparative European Politics. 12 (4–5): 488–509. doi:10.1057/cep.2014.14. hdl: 20.500.11820/61b8bf3f-2261-4e4f-8467-a68131cc5dcc . ISSN   1472-4790. S2CID   144005452.
  38. ↑ Mcewen, Nicola; Bomberg, Elizabeth (1 January 2014). "Sub-state Climate Pioneers: The Case of Scotland". Regional & Federal Studies. 24 (1): 63–85. doi:10.1080/13597566.2013.820182. hdl: 20.500.11820/887bc707-26d9-4675-b550-2cb36e65427e . ISSN   1359-7566. S2CID   154353296.
  39. ↑ Hassan, Gerry (2013). After Independence : the State of the Scottish Nation Debate. James Mitchell ([International version] ed.). New York: Luath Press Ltd. ISBN   978-1-909912-60-1. OCLC   863822199.
  40. ↑ McEwen, Nicola (2013), Dandoy, Régis; Schakel, Arjan H. (eds.), "The UK: Multilevel Elections in an Asymmetrical State", Regional and National Elections in Western Europe: Territoriality of the Vote in Thirteen Countries, The Comparative Territorial Politics series, London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, pp. 254–274, doi:10.1057/9781137025449_14, hdl: 20.500.11820/7bd08b37-da8a-4522-9f0a-534762ff81cc , ISBN   978-1-137-02544-9, S2CID   154798149 , retrieved 24 June 2021
  41. ↑ Bomberg, Elizabeth; McEwen, Nicola (1 December 2012). "Mobilizing community energy". Energy Policy. 51: 435–444. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2012.08.045. ISSN   0301-4215.
  42. ↑ Henderson, Ailsa; McEwen, Nicola (1 September 2010). "A comparative analysis of voter turnout in regional elections". Electoral Studies. 29 (3): 405–416. doi:10.1016/j.electstud.2010.03.012. ISSN   0261-3794.
  43. ↑ "Governments in Opposition? Intergovernmental Relations in the UK in a Context of Party Political Incongruence. Edited by Nicola McEwen, Wilfried Swenden and Nicole Bolleyer: The British Journal of Politics & International Relations: Vol 14, No 2". Wiley Online Library. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  44. ↑ The territorial politics of welfare. Nicola McEwen, Luis Moreno. London: Routledge. 2005. ISBN   978-0-203-64081-4. OCLC   257605925.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  45. ↑ Curtice, John; McCrone, David; McEwen, Nicola; Marsh, Michael; Ormston, Rachel (2009). Revolution or Evolution? The 2007 Scottish Elections. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN   978-0-7486-3899-4. JSTOR   10.3366/j.ctt1r21zd.
  46. ↑ McEwen, Nicola (2006). Nationalism and the state : welfare and identity in Scotland and Quebec. Brussels, Belgium: P.I.E.-Peter Lang. ISBN   0-8204-6650-6. OCLC   61500041.
  47. ↑ Devolution and public policy. Michael Keating, Nicola McEwen. London. 2015. ISBN   978-1-138-88208-9. OCLC   909323211.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  48. ↑ "Professor Nicola McEwen FRSE". The Royal Society of Edinburgh. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.