Scotland and Ireland

Small nations and independence have dominated our headlines for many years now. We look towards other countries' successes in comparison to our own. We watch them chart their own path across the world, flourishing independently. But, what is it about these small states? It is their resilience.

This book delves into the present states of resilience in Scotland and Ireland, placing them within the context of historical and contemporary realities. Taking the analysis to new depths, McLeish and Harrison connect the futures of these nations beyond their existing constitutional differences to the broader archipelago that defines their northern and western boundaries.

The book contends that Scotland’s current emphasis on independence poses a threat to its resilience, presenting a binary political focus. In contrast, it views Ireland as remarkably successful but acknowledges the need for continued efforts to ensure resilience. Furthermore, the authors see the archipelago as an opportunity for a mosaic of resilient nations to forge new cooperative structures and extend ties with their Nordic neighbours.

This book will appeal to citizens interested in independence movements (both Irish and Scottish) alongside readers interested in politics and the relations of small nations.

Rt Hon Henry McLeish began his political career as an elected member in local government in 1974, and was leader of Fife Regional Council for five years. In 1987 he was elected as a member of the UK Parliament and acted as Minister for Devolution and Home Affairs in the Labour government from 1997 to 1999. In the first Scottish Parliament he was Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning from 1999, and in 2000 he became First Minister of Scotland until 2001. Retiring from politics in 2003, he is now an adviser, consultant, writer author and broadcaster and lectures in the USA and elsewhere on the European Union and politics. He chaired the Scottish Prisons Commission, which produced a report into sentencing and the criminal justice system entitled ‘Scotland’s Choice’. In 2010 he conducted a major report on the state of football in Scotland, which had been commissioned by the Scottish Football Association, and chaired a commission into sport requested by the Scottish government. He is now an honorary professor at Edinburgh University.

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