Ireland and Scotland: Literature and Culture, State and Nation, 1966-2000 (Oxford English Monographs)

While political connections between Ireland and Scotland have been vigorously promoted in recent years, Ray Ryan's book is the first sustained, comparative study of literature and culture from both sites. Analyzing a broad range of Irish and Scottish literary texts, Ryan shifts attention from the traditionally defined canon of Irish culture, and establishes the relevance of Scotland for any future discussion of Irish cultural contexts. While political connections between Ireland and Scotland have been vigorously promoted in recent years, Ray Ryan presents the first sustained, comparative study of literature and culture from both sites. Ryan's focus is on the Irish state and the Scottish nation. How does literature from the Republic create the cultural shape and personality of the Irish state? Through comparison with Scotland, a stateless nation, Ryan argues that crucial themes in Irish culture emerge with new force and clarity: themes such as Republicanism and colonialism, the city and rural divide, and the partition of the island into separate 'southern' and 'northern' spheres. Analysing a broad range of Irish and Scottish literary texts, Ryan shifts attention from the traditionally defined canon of Irish culture, and establishes the relevance of Scotland for any future discussion of Irish cultural contexts. Offering a radical intervention across a range of disciplines, this book is essential reading for all those working on Ireland, on Scotland, and on contemporary English and British culture Machine Generated Contents Note: Introduction: The Republic Of Ireland And Scotland: -- What Difference Does It Make? -- Part I: Scotland: Region And Nation, -- Republicanism And Colonialism -- I. The Contours Of Republicanism: William Mcilvanney -- And The Geography Of Difference 37 -- Z. Being In Between: Lain Crichton Smith And Scottish -- Colonial History 91 -- Part Ii: Ireland: Region, State, And Nation -- 3. The Republic And Ireland: Dermot Bolger, 'bolgerism', -- And Dublin 141 -- 4. Between The Falls Road And Kildare Street: Thomas -- Mccarthy And The Location Of Memory 199 -- 5. Colm T6ibin, Partition, And The Ends Of History Z50 -- Conclusion: Travelling In Space Z89. Ray Ryan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [299]-323) And Index. Through comparison with Scotland, Ryan argues that critical themes in Irish culture emerge with new clarity - themes such as republicanism & colonialism, the city & rural divide, & the partition of Ireland into separate southern and northern states