Scottish Identity and HistoryWeek 2 Seminar

Adam Auld, Jade Gallagher and Katie Faulds

• Jenkins (1966) defines identity as the understanding of who we and who other people are (Kidd, 2002).

• Self Identity • National Identity• The development of Scottish Identity has

been identified as been identified as a complex issue (McCrone et al, 1998; McCullough, 1998).

Identity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4cqRR5oc_w&feature=related

Scottish Identity Discourses

• Tartanry and Kailyard maintain cultural hegemony over Scotland’s sense of self.

• Mythical creatures and legends as historical tales.

Scottish Identity Discourse 1

• Strong characterisations that are associated with Scots.

• Scotland with style?

Scottish Identity Discourse 2

Rural Image to Industrialisation• During the 17th and 18th centuries, Scots migrated to the “New Worlds”,

resulting in approximately 25 million people of Scottish descent living abroad by the modern period (Wormald, 2005).

• As they emigrated, the Scots took with them their cultural practices and forms, such as Highland Games (McCrone et al, 1989). This Scottish Diaspora encouraged the globalisation and dilution of Scottish identity (Jarvie, 1991).

• Leading to the consumption of Scotland’s discourse of identity.• Withers (1998) identifies that the change of Scottish identity began with

the internal move of Gaelic speaking communities from rural north highlands to the lowlands of Scotland.

• The idustrialisation of the lowlands of Scotland and the interaction with other identities led to the emergence of the post-modern Scottish identity.

• Ritzer (2010) identifies that globalisation results in in the possibility for more fluid identity; people can pick and choose the aspects of different identities they wish to apply to themselves.

Scottish Government’s Influence“The first and greatest reason for creating a Scottish parliament is that the

people of Scotland want and deserve a democracy” (Chalmers, 2001).• The loss of independence. In 1707, Scotland lost it’s political

independence which left it lacking a formal national culture (McCrone, 2001).

• Referendum: The Road to Devolution • Rise of Scottish government SNP and reinvention of Scottish identity. • Scottish National Party primary aim is to take Scotland forward to

independence. • The Scotland Act 1998 - new level of democracy to Scotland but

devolution only gave limited powers.

Scottish Government’s Influence• 34% state they are More Scottish than British, only

4% say they are British (2003:Devolution).• Gordon Brown: “‘Britishness’ is also a reflection of

shared values”.• The Scottish government have played a key role in

influencing the development of Scottish identity.

So what is Scottish Identity?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTZP07khSy8

Discussion

• Q.1. Do you feel confused about your national identity?

• Q.2. Do you think that Scotland having independence would strengthen the national identity?