Imagining Scotland: Nationalism, Narratives and New Scots

What’s on offer?

The debate around Scotland’s independence is often presented as a simple binary: Yes/No, Nationalism vs. Unionism. This event digs deeper, presenting stories from the past, present and future that lay out diverse visions of what a nation can be and how a people or peoples can be formed. We will bring together a diverse group of experts in nationalism and identity for an in-person discussion accessible to the general public (15+). 

What’s it about?

With the announcement of IndyRef2, this event asks: What kind of Scotlands can we imagine? Who gets to write Scotland’s future? Join a panel of playwrights, journalists and researchers from around the UK to explore a host of radical ideas, controversial proposals and comedic satires on the twin themes of nation and identity. We’ll dig under the skin of nationalist movements, seeking to understand their emotional and psychological roots, and think together about how we build new communities in a connected digital world.

Who’s leading the event?

Speakers:
Prof. Lesley McAra, Director of IASH (incoming) at the University of Edinburgh (Chair)
Mr Oisín Kearney, playwright and current IASH/Traverse Creative Fellow
Dr Rory Scothorne, current IASH Fellow in social and political thought
Dr Annie Webster, current IASH Fellow in refugee studies

Open to

Young people (16-25), adults

Event booking deadline