To the outside world, for some half a century, the words 'Basque Country' have provoked an almost instant association with the Euskadi ta Askatasuna (ETA - Basque Homeland and Liberty) separatist group, and violent conflict. The Basque Contention: Ethnicity, Politics, Violence attempts to undo this simplistic correlation, and for the first time, provide a definitive history of the wider political issues at the heart of the Basque Country.

For anyone who has ever wanted to gain an insight into the Basque Country beyond the headlines of ETA, and grasp the complexity of its relationship with Spain, France and indeed itself, this volume provides a detailed, yet digestible, basis for such an understanding.