Flora Strand
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References to the past in nationalist political discourse The place and the role of history in the Scottish National Party’s case for independence Flora Strand Master’s thesis in Peace and Conflict Studies Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History UNIVERSITY OF OSLO 22.05.2017 © Flora Deborah Nili Strand 2017 References to the past in nationalist political discourse The place and the role of history in the Scottish National Party’s case for independence http://www.duo.uio.no Print: Reprosentralen, University of Oslo 1 Abstract Hobsbawn explains the rise of nationalism in Western Europe as a reaction to the collapse of larger hopes and aspirations, and to the (real or apparent) crisis of macro-national state power. 1 But in the case of Scotland, the situation appears different. In my study, I show how the political nationalist discourse in Scotland seems to deviate more and more from the main theories regarding the conceptualisation, underlying explanations and practice of nationalism at the political level. By analysing how and how often the Scottish National Party (SNP) employs references to the past and the shared history of the nation in its pro-independence rhetoric, I demonstrate how indeed Scottish nationalism can be said to present a unique case of political nationalism in contemporary Western Europe. By insisting on cultural specificities, I also explain to what extent it follows the traditional theory, primarily regarding the connection of the past to national identity and nationalist discourse. In the end, my main conclusion is that the SNP strategically employs a rhetoric turned towards the future and deliberately minimise the allusions to the past in order to fit its nationalist discourse and present ideology, presenting himself as an inclusive, very modern and viable governmental option for Scotland, but still refuses to abandon historical references all-together. 1 Hobsbawn, 1990:178. 2 Preface When I started studying history, I was suddenly fascinated to discover what a wonderful resource it could be if applied with tact and discernment to other fields and especially to rhetoric. The more I learned the more I discover of the many usages of history in political discourses. I found it fascinating to understand politician’s references and little by little to begin to see to what end those references where made, and what effects they had. I felt like I could see the underlying mechanics of the discourse, like a clockmaker opening a watch. As I continue through my curriculum, I started to get more involved with contemporary Western history, and then with nationalism, and then with nationalism in the British Isles. When came the time to consider a research question for the present thesis, I was returning from holidays in Scotland and had been marked by the context of the independence referendum. Naturally, all those interests and questions of mine merged into a gradually more precise idea, and soon my research topic was found: the place and role of history in the Scottish nationalist discourse. I was lucky enough to found a supervisor in the person of Véronique Pouillard who shared my enthusiasm for my project, and even more so to found someone able to advise me and put up with my particular working schedule. It was indeed impossible for me to complete this thesis in the initial expected timeframe because I had to work full-time and also had to complete other projects first. Eventually, I found a bit of time there and then to advance, and after two years, I was able to achieve the present thesis. Despite those not so optimal conditions, I am proud to have finally completed this project, and I must say that I have very much enjoyed researching it, getting familiar with an incredible amount of theoretical work (although the part about discourse theory and French philosophers was quite strenuous at times), and at last, analysing the SNP’s discourse like a clockmaker stripping down a watch. And in the end, the most difficult task was certainly to not let myself be distracted by all the new possibilities and questions that my research was bringing. I hope you will enjoy reading my work and that maybe it will help see you differently the way the SNP expresses itself in the next independence referendum, which seem to be about to happen far sooner than we all could have expected. Flora Strand Oslo, 04.05.2017 3 Table of content Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Preface ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Table of content ........................................................................................................................ 4 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 7 1. Presentation ....................................................................................................................... 8 2. Research questions ............................................................................................................ 9 3. Research design, sources and methodology.................................................................... 10 4. Limitations ...................................................................................................................... 13 5. The following chapters ................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 1 Characterisation of Scottish nationalism ................................................................ 16 1. Nationalism in theory: political and cultural definitions ................................................ 17 1.1. Nationalism as a political principle ...................................................................... 17 1.2. Cultural aspect of nationalism .............................................................................. 19 2. Nationalism in practice: the Scottish case ...................................................................... 22 2.1. A very brief history of Scottish nationalist sentiment ............................................ 22 2.2. The SNP, Scotland’s unique nationalist political party ........................................ 24 Conclusion chapter 1........................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 2 History, identity and (Scottish) nationalism ............................................................ 30 1. Nationalism and identity ................................................................................................. 31 1.1. Understanding national identity ............................................................................ 31 1.2. Scottish identity ..................................................................................................... 33 2. History and national identity ........................................................................................... 36 2.1. History and continuity ........................................................................................... 37 2.2. History and collective memory .............................................................................. 38 2.3. History and national destiny ................................................................................. 38 3. History as a driver for nation-building and national homogeneity ................................. 39 3.1. The invention of tradition ...................................................................................... 40 3.2. Exemples of Scottish lieux de mémoire ................................................................. 43 3.3. The history school curriculum, another type of driver for nation-building ......................................................................................... 47 Conclusion chapter 2........................................................................................................... 49 Chapter 3 History in nationalist political discourse and rhetoric ............................................. 50 4 1. Independence campaigns: popular consultation, democratic propaganda and mass communication in politics ............................................. 52 2. History and nationalist political discourse ...................................................................... 54 2.1. From nationalist ideology to political discourse .................................................. 54 2.2. History as a mobilising tool in political discourse ................................................ 56 3. The weight of the past in contemporary nationalist rhetoric .......................................... 57 3.1. The ‘past-present-future’ structure of nationalist rhetoric ................................... 58 3.2. Historical analogies .............................................................................................. 60 4. SNP’s general attitude towards the historical plea ......................................................... 62 4.1. The great variations of the SNP’s discourse ......................................................... 62 4.2. SNP’s historical references: general examples and recurring references .............................................................................................. 62 4.3. A brief account of the place of cultural nationalism