Performing Scottishness: Enactment and National Identities by Ian Brown
Following discussion of the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath and the real meanings of the 1706/7 Treaty of Union, it examines the differing perceptions of what the 'United Kingdom' means to Scots and English. It contrasts the treatment of Shakespeare and Burns as 'national bards' and considers the implications of Scottish scholars' invention of 'English Literature'. It engages with Scotland's language politics -rebutting claims of a 'Gaelic Gestapo' - and how borders within Scotland interact. It replaces myths about 'tartan monsters' with level-headed evidence before discussing in detail representations of Scottishness in domestic and international media.