Scotland's future in the Union is in question. Since Devolution in 1997, there has been a sea-change in Scotland's sense of itself. A distinct Scottish political culture has emerged: confident, assertive and increasingly divergent from that of its southern neighbours. Yet, as this timely and perceptive book shows, Scottish nationalism has been on the rise since the Second World War. Today, the Scottish National Party are in the ascendant, winning nearly half of all votes cast in the 2019 General Election and most of the seats. The Scottish Parliament has been a legislative trail-blazer, enacting progressive legislation well before England and Wales. And Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union, putting it at odds with much of the rest of the United Kingdom on the most important political decision this century. The country has transformed from the socially and politically conservative climate of the post-war period to a nation contemplating, for the second time, a move to independence - for all the uncertainty and turmoil that would bring. At a time when the country's future has topped the agenda in Britain and abroad, this book unpicks the complex weave of Scottish politics, society and culture, providing an essential insight into Scotland's present - and its future. -- .

This book addresses issues of national identity and nationalism in Scotland from a political and linguistic perspective. It compares a variety of attitudes and opinions from the political elite to the masses, examining the nature of national identity held by members of these groups and the differences within and between them. There is consideration of non-civic aspects of national identity, as well as a measure of political party nationalism in Scotland over the past forty years that illustrates the ideological movements of each major party during this period. This work also represents the first comprehensive examination of the discourse involved in the expression of national identity within Scottish politics and society, combining quantitative and discourse analysis methods to illustrate the articulation of national identity by differing groups in different contexts. Key Features Presents a detailed consideration of the language used within the political and nationalist arena in Scotland Compares a variety of attitudes and opinions held within Scotland from the political elite to the masses Introduces a new method for measuring political nationalism using manifesto analysis

Uses manifesto analysis to measure political nationalism in Scotland. Murray Stewart Leith and Daniel P. J. Soule explore the importance of groups, concepts and events such as the SNP and devolution, unionism, the political elite, political and public discourse, inclusion and exclusion, enforced nationalism, and birth, race and citizenship to nationalist feeling in Scotland. The authors set the Modernist view of Scottish nationalism against the work of Gellner, Anderson and Billig to create their own 'mixed method' of evaluating nationalism. This title presents a detailed consideration of the language used within the political and nationalist arena in Scotland. It compares a variety of attitudes and opinions held within Scotland from the political elite to the masses. It introduces a new method for measuring political nationalism using manifesto analysis.