Measuring evolving regional autonomy demands and statutes: introducing the Sub-state Autonomy Scale (SAS) Christoph Niessen  Author version of the article: Niessen, C. (2022). Measuring evolving regional autonomy demands and statutes: introducing the Sub-state Autonomy Scale (SAS). Regional Studies. Available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2022.2056157. 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. Keywords: decentralisation; autonomy; sub-state mobilization; sub-state restructuring; indicator; database. Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 2 Measurements of sub-state autonomy ........................................................................................ 3 Existing indicators measuring autonomy statutes and demands ........................................... 3 Why another indicator for measuring autonomy statutes and demands? .............................. 5 The Sub-state Autonomy Scale .................................................................................................. 8 Conception ............................................................................................................................. 8 Database............................................................................................................................... 12 Illustration and comparison to existing indicators ................................................................... 15 Assessing autonomy in kind, in degree and by competences .............................................. 16 A unified framework for studying autonomy demands and statutes ................................... 17 Conclusion................................................................................................................................ 19 References ................................................................................................................................ 21 Online appendices .................................................................................................................... 23  Université catholique de Louvain & European University Institute. Contact: christoph.niessen@uclouvain.be.