What is Separatism?
{{redirect|Separatist}} [[File:Paisos catalans belfast.jpg|thumb|right|[[Catalan independence|Catalan independentist]] mural in [[Belfast]], an example of ethnic separatism]] In a [[society]], certain people may have [[idea]]s that are noticeably different from those of the [[majority]]. These people are called separatists (for example, the [[State (polity)|state]] or a [[religion|religious group]]) recognises that their ideas are different. Very often, they also want [[autonomy]], [[self-determination]], and perhaps [[secession]] and [[independence]] from the main group.<ref>R. Harris, Jerry Harris, ''The Nation in the Global Era: Conflict and Transformation'', Brill, 2009, [https://books.google.com/books?id=UQQujqyOJJIC&pg=PA320 p. 320], {{ISBN|90-04-17690-X}}, 9789004176904</ref> People may support separatism because they are of a different [[culture]], [[Ethnic group|ethnicity]], religion, [[Race (sociology)|race]] or gender than the majority. It may also be because they have different ideas about governing, laws or religion. ==Types of separatism== ===Ethnicity=== Ethnic separatism is based more on differences in culture and language than religious or racial differences. These may also may exist, however. * [[Czechoslovakia]] split into the [[Czech Republic]] and [[Slovakia]]. * [[South Ossetia]] and [[Abkhazia]] separated from [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]. * [[Armenians|Armenian]] separatists of [[Nagorno-Karabakh]] in [[Azerbaijan]]. ===Religion=== {{further|Schism (religion)}} Religious separatist groups and sects want to withdraw from some larger religious groups. * In the 16th and 17th century, certain people in [[Great Britain]] wanted to become independent of the [[Church of England]].<ref>John Abbot Goodwin, ''The Pilgrim republic: an historical review of the colony of New Plymouth...'', Houghton Mifflin Company, 1888, [https://books.google.com/books?id=1h86ThQYxgEC&pg=PA1 p. 1]</ref> The separation of beliefs and/or practices is often followed by a migration. The dissident group may fear [[sanct