Definitions for "Separatism"
The character or act of a separatist; disposition to withdraw from a church; the practice of so withdrawing.
the desire of a group of citizens of a state to separate from the state and form their own state separatists Quebec separatists hope to form a nation-state separate from Canada with one official language and culture.
a disposition toward schism and secession from a larger group; the principles and practices of separatists; "separatism is a serious problem in Quebec"; "demands for some form of separatism on grounds of religion have been perceived as a threat to mainstream education"
a social system that provides separate facilities for minority groups
Separatism is a term usually applied to describe the attitudes or motivations of those seeking independence or "separation" of their land or region from the country that governs them. To a lesser extent, separatism may also refer to social isolation or involvement in cliques. The term separatist movements usually refers to social movements that aspire to autonomy for a particular group of people from a dominant political institution under which they suffer, although separatism can also be enforced by a ruling political power, as occurred in South Africa under apartheid.