The most arresting aspect of the Scottish Enlightenment is its conception of commercial society as a distinct and distinctive social formation. Christopher Berry explains why Enlightenment thinkers ...considered commercial society to be wealthier and freer than earlier forms, and charts the contemporary debates and tensions between Enlightenment thinkers that this idea raised. The book analyses the full range of literature on the subject, from key works like Adam Smith's ‘Wealth of Nations’, David Hume's ‘Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects’ and Adam Ferguson's ‘Essay on the History of Civil Society’ to lesser-known works such as Robert Wallace’s ‘Dissertation on Numbers of Mankind’.
The Scottish Diaspora Tanja Bueltmann, Andrew Hinson, Graeme Morton
2013, 2013-11-20, 2013-11-15
eBook
A history of the Scottish diaspora from c.1700 to 1945 Did you know that Scotland was one of Europe's main population exporters in the age of mass migration? Or that the Scottish Honours System was ...introduced as far afield as New Zealand? This comprehensive introductory history of the Scottish diaspora examines these and related issues, exploringthe migration of Scots overseas, their experiences in the new worlds in which they settled and the impact of the diaspora on Scotland. Global in scope, the book's distinctive feature is its focus on both the geographies of the Scottish diaspora andkey theories, concepts and themes, including associationalism and return migration. By revisiting these themes throughout the chapters, the multifaceted characteristics of 'Scottishness' abroad are unravelled, transcending narrow interpretations that define the Scottish diaspora primarily in terms of the movement of people. Readers will gain an understanding of migration flows and destination countries, but also the imprints and legacies of émigré Scots overseas and at home. Key Features * Comprehensive overview of Scottish diaspora history * Sections explaining themes and geographies * International in scope * Conceptual case studies: England & Ireland; United States; Canada; Africa; Asia; Australia & New Zealand (the Antipodes)
Steve Bruce explores Scotland's transformation from the largely devout Presbyterian country of 1900, with the church as a major social force, to the diverse, more secular society of today, when less ...than 10 per cent of Scots attend church. He bases his study on a career's worth of historical, ethnographic and statistical research, to provide both a coherent description of Scotland's current religious complexion and a considered explanation of the forces that shaped it. Scottish Gods is both a fascinating summary of over a century of religious and cultural change, and a searing analysis of the state of religion in Scotland today by one of our leading social historians.
This book presents a comprehensive analysis of a remarkable and unexpected outcome of the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence.
Despite defeat in the Scottish referendum, the two leading parties ...in the Yes campaign - the Scottish National Party and Scottish Green Party - experienced an extraordinary surge in membership. The book explains these events, examining the relationship between political parties and social movements, and it assesses the long-term consequences of the surge. Based on surveys of members and interviews with party and movement actors since the referendum, the book analyses the members' involvement in the 2014 referendum, their motives for joining a party, their backgrounds and political attitudes, and their behaviour as party members. A key component of the book is how the surge changed the parties - socio-demographically, ideologically and organisationally.
This book will appeal to scholars, students and observers of electoral politics, political participation, social and political movements, and political parties and their members, and more broadly to those interested in the debate on Scottish independence, British politics and comparative politics.
The sexual state Davidson, Roger; Davis, Gayle
2012., 20120412, 2012, 2012-04-12, 20120101
eBook
This is the first scholarly study of Scotland's sexual coming-of-age in the post-war period, charting its political growth from a deeply moralistic policy framework towards a less judgmental, global ...and scientific context. On the way, Davidson and Davis lead us through the Scottish sexual landscape leading up to the global crisis of HIV/AIDS, analysing post-war state policy towards issues such as prostitution, abortion, homosexuality, gender roles, contraception, censorship, pornography and sexual health education.There are few resources for the student of Scotland's sexual history and its political and social context. This will be the first dedicated work to collate the findings of two important and respected scholars in Scottish Social History, publishing new research in an under-published area of 20th Century cultural history.
The Scottish independence question is one of the pivotal questions facing British politics and the future of the United Kingdom. It is also one of the most contentious and misunderstood. In Scotland ...Rising, Gerry Hassan addresses the fundamental questions covering the Scottish independence debate so that people can better understand the case for independence and the nuances, contours and implications for the whole United Kingdom. Looking beyond the merits and shortcomings of the SNP and the Conservative government in Westminster, Hassan tackles the larger driving dynamics of 'the Scottish Question' - a growing desire amongst many Scots for an explicit discussion about society, public policy choices and wider values. Addressing the constitutional framework, and questions about the role of government and democracy, the nature of the British state, society and capitalism, Scotland Rising makes an urgent and intelligent contribution to one of the defining political questions of our time.
Industry, Reform and Empire traces the evolution of politics from a repressive, reactionary and electorally restricted regime before 1832 to an era of wider franchise and sweeping institutional ...reform. Focusing on the impact of rapid industrialisation, the author shows how it transformed the economic and social identity of urban and rural Scotland. Drawing on a wealth of primary sources, the book reveals the effects of these economic and political changes on the fabric of Scottish society, including the convulsions they caused in Presbyterianism that culminated in the Disruption of 1843.
Christopher Harvie analyses the pressures and influences that over the last hundred years have eroded to the point of destruction Scotland's position as a world industrial power.
