Research in Politics & International Relations

‘The Civility of Civic Nationalism’ & ‘Inclusive and Exclusive Attitudes towards Minorities in Post-devolution Scotland’

Investigators: William L Miller (PI); Asifa Hussain (PI).
Dates: 2002-2004 & 2003-2004

When the focus is on black or Asian minorities, Britain is frequently described as a multi-cultural state. But when the focus is on Scotland, England and Wales, Britain is also described as a multi-national state. Yet debates about multiculturalism and nationalism have been held in parallel without sharing even a common vocabulary. This study connects debates about multiculturalism and nationalism and reveals how multiculturalism interacts with multinationalism within post-devolution Scotland. It gives equal attention to Scotland's largest 'visible' and 'invisible' minorities: ethnic Pakistanis (almost all of them Muslim) and English immigrants. Rising Scottish self-consciousness could have posed a challenge to both these minorities. But in practice, potential problems (including reactions to 9/11) have proved themselves to be solutions, integrating rather than alienating. In the eyes of the minorities, devolution has made Scots at once more proud and less xenophobic. The study is based in part on large-scale surveys: of Pakistani and English minorities within Scotland; and of the majority populations in Scotland and England. But it also based on systematic analysis of transcripts of focus-group discussions with minorities and in-depth interviews with the political elite.

Publications:

(with Asifa Hussain). Multicultural Nationalism: Islamophobia, Anglophobia and Devolution (Oxford: OUP, xii + 209 pp June 2006) ISBN 0-19-928071-1 & 978-0-19-928071-1

(ed) Anglo-Scottish Relations from 1900 to Devolution and Beyond– Proceedings of the British Academy 128 (Oxford: OUP for the British Academy, ix + 264 pp., 2005); ISBN 0-19-726332-3     978-0-19-726331-0

(with Asifa Hussain) ‘How and Why Islamophobia is tied to English nationalism but not to Scottish nationalism’ Ethnic Studies Review August 2004 vol.27 no.1 pp.78-101.  ISSN 0636904X

(with Asifa Hussain). ‘Multiculturalism and Scottish nationalism’ CRE (Commission for Racial Equality) Connections Spring 2004 pp.10-11.

‘From Last Empress to First Minister’ in W.L. Miller (ed) Anglo-Scottish Relations from 1900 to Devolution and Beyond– Proceedings of the British Academy 128 (Oxford: OUP for the British Academy, ix + 264 pp., 2005); ISBN 0-19-726332-3     978-0-19-726331-0 at pp.1-15.

(with Asifa Hussain). (2005) ‘The Auld Enemy in the New Scotland’ in W.L. Miller (ed) Anglo-Scottish Relations from 1900 to Devolution and Beyond– Proceedings of the British Academy 128 (Oxford: OUP for the British Academy, ix + 264 pp., 2005); ISBN 0-19-726332-3     978-0-19-726331-0 at pp.183-201.

(with Asifa Hussain). ‘Islamophobia and Anglophobia in Post-Devolution Scotland’ in Catherine Bromley, John Curtice, David McCrone and Alison Park (eds) Has Devolution Delivered? The New Scotland Four Years On (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2006) pp. 159-186.  ISBN 0748622462