Liberal Nationalisms: Empire, State, and Civil Society in Scotland and Quebec

by James Kennedy

Overview

The early twentieth century witnessed the emergence of Scottish and Quebec nationalisms that were closely intertwined with liberal philosophies. The Young Scots' Society and the Ligue nationaliste canadienne carried these liberal nationalist ideas. This book offers a comparative and historical examination of their ideas and politics, exploring the Young Scots as a movement, as well as the ideas of key Nationalistes. James Kennedy argues that the growth of the Young Scots' Society and the Ligue nationaliste canadienne was largely in response to changes within empire, state, and civil society. He suggests that the actions of the British Empire and the Canadian state not only prompted nationalist responses in Scotland and Quebec respectively, but also shaped their liberal character. His comparative analysis provides insights that would not arise from a single case study of either movement, while detailing the important roles that geopolitics, consociation and federation, and organized religion played in the creation of nationalist philosophies. The first-ever comparative history of nationalism in Scotland and Quebec, Liberal Nationalisms is an insightful study of nascent political nationalisms and a major contribution to the scholarship of nationalist movements in the early twentieth century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780773597259
Publisher:	McGill-Queens University Press
Publication date:	03/01/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	248
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

James Kennedy is senior lecturer in sociology and programme director of the MSc in Nationalism Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 3

1 Liberty and Nationality 9

2 Empire, State, and Civil Society at the Fin de siècle 33

3 Liberal Nationalists 57

4 Empire and Industry 81

5 Scotland and the Search for Federation 119

6 French Canada and the Search for Consociation 150

7 Liberalism and the Politics of Civil Society 179

Conclusion: Contrasting Liberal Nationalisms 218

Notes 245

Bibliography 293

Index 313

Editorial Reviews

[Liberal Nationalisms] is both a strong contribution to the sociology of nationalism, and a distinguished sociological contribution to the understanding of Canadian and Quebec society, about a perennial issue.“ The John Porter Tradition of Excellence Book Award Committee, Canadian Sociological Association

From the Publisher