Sociologists and social historians discuss the subject of Scotland's evolution as a nation in cultural and sociological terms. They ask key questions, such as how meaningful is it to describe Scotland as a "nation"? Has Scotland developed along different lines from England, or do we over-emphasise the differences to explain current political divisions? To answer such questions the contributors look at the 19th century foundations of Scottish society - the social significance of key professionals, the ways women's sexual and social behaviour was controlled by the moral arbiters of the day - and argue that Scottish culture is healthy and distinct. The book ends with an analysis of sport, an issue central to Scotland's identity. It is published in association with the British Sociological Association.
David McCrone is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Edinburgh. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and a Fellow of the British Academy. He co-founded the university’s Institute of Governance in 1999, and has written extensively on the sociology and politics of Scotland, and the comparative study of nationalism.