Category Archives

Archive for: Identity

Irvine Welsh on ‘Scottish Independence and British Unity’

Bella Exclusive: Irvine Welsh essay on Scottish Independence and British Unity

Reasons to be Cheerful

As it’s announced that ‘Director of Creative Development’ Venu Dhupa is ‘standing down’, Ruth Wishart looks at the future. If you had a taste for masochism there could have been Continue reading →

What connects Alasdair Gray, Dirty Dancing and Gary Tank Commander?

But the question still remains. Do Scots run Scotland? It’s a subjective argument and a cultural one. That doesn’t make it any less important or real. Just much, much more sensitive.

Culloden via Tesco?

A preview of Unstated: Writers on Scottish Independence, ed. Scott Hames This book (which I think and hope will enliven the whole debate) started in discussion between Bella Caledonia and Continue reading →

Korea Suicide

A Letter from Pyongyang …

Scotch Myths: Independence is a Panacea

By Doug Daniel Independence supporters are often accused of seeing independence as a panacea for all Scotland’s ills. We are characterised as thinking that if Scotland could JUST become independent, Continue reading →

Decontaminating The Union: Post-Industrial Landscapes And The British Psyche

This is an extract from the Wreford Watson Lecture given by Will Self at the University of Edinburgh this week/ Whatever anxieties I may feel, as an Englishman, about speaking Continue reading →

Media Notes Part 2: Identity, Extremism and the Independence Movement

In the second part of his Media Notes series Kevin Williamson reveals an unstated 3 point strategy of the NO camp; and the trap of the Scottish-British dichotomy. “Identity – Continue reading →

Forms of Protest 2

The second in our series on campaigns and protest forms across the globe and how they might inform the Yes campaign. See the Casseroles, Montreal here. This isn’t to suggest Continue reading →

Woman for Independence – Lessons from History

A confident future is never built on fear but always on hope … Journalist, writer and broadcaster Ruth Wishart speaks at the Scottish Independence Rally on 22 Sept 2012 … Continue reading →

Why We’re Marching

By Mike Small This is about Raploch not Bannockburn. A reminder – if any was needed of why we need a better Scotland – was brought to us this week Continue reading →

Independence in the World

As Scotland’s greatest living polymath Alasdair Gray (Bella’s patron) changes his famous slogan to: ‘work as if you live in the early days of a better world’ we hear from Continue reading →

They’ve Learned Nothing

By Mike Small The idea of Rangers as some sort of parable of our times is becoming compelling. A club riven by debt and mired in bad practice collapses under Continue reading →

Andy Murray, 11th September and Scotland’s feelgood factor

by Kevin Williamson Scotland’s 116 year wait to win a tennis Grand Slam is finally over. In a nail-biting 5 set victory over Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadows in the Continue reading →

CHANGIN SCOTLAND – The Role of the Arts, Culture and Identity in Scotland

What a great lineup for Gerry Hassan and Jean Urquhart’s Changin’ Scotland with Tom Nairn, Alan Bissett, Malcolm MacLean and more… CHANGIN SCOTLAND – NOVEMBER 2nd-4th2012 The Ceilidh Place, Ullapool Continue reading →

From the Province of the Cat 7: Local is Universal

What we need is a matrix of localisms, from Berwick to Berriedale. An inter-connected linkage of communities, each unique, each connected and each one a resistance to the homogenous soup of sameness which is globalisation.

Darling as Avatar

By Callum McCormick By all accounts it has been a good couple of months for the Unionist campaign. Polls showing a decrease or at least no increase in support for Continue reading →

Crises Capitalism and Independence Doctrines

By Gordon Asher and Leigh French The interest of the oppressors lie in changing the consciousness of the oppressed not the situation which oppresses them.” (Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Continue reading →

Irvine Welsh: Is There Such A Thing As National Culture?

by Irvine Welsh I’ve always considered myself belonging to the school of writers who should be read but not heard, so I don’t know what set of circumstances leads me Continue reading →

Indy Women

Women may have won the vote but they still struggle to be heard. It’s been frustrating to watch mainly men, representing political parties, slog out the questions in a generally polarised, aggressive way. Not always – but it has certainly been the main prism through which the hugely important question of our country’s future has been directed through.