It’s hard to imagine that Scotland hasn’t always been Scottish in the way we think of it now. In reality, the modern independence movement has been a long time in the making. In the pilot episode, we discuss the political history of Scotland and how it got to where it is today. We lay out a basic understanding of nationalism and examine how Scotland’s traditional high-valuation of education, and its national schooling system, has contributed to its national identity today. We end with a discussion of where the Scottish National Party stands today, and how it’s unique in the context of other European nationalisms.

1. When Scotland Became Scottish

Scotland’s first independence referendum ended in a loss for the Scottish National Party in 2014, but that didn’t put an end to the party’s efforts to attain independence. Since then, the government has regularly petitioned for another “indyref”, and been met with resistance from Westminster. Other than another vote, are there any legal remedies Holyrood can pursue? In this episode, we discuss a brief overview of international law regarding secession. We’ll examine British court precedent and comparable cases in Quebec and Catalonia and where the Scottish national government can go next.

3. Indeyrefs vs. International Law

In the midst of complicated and abstract political and legal questions, it’s easy to forget that lives could be fundamentally altered by Scottish independence. In my junior year of college, I studied in Edinburgh for five months. It’s part of what sparked my interest in the topic of Scottish independence, aided by the fact that I lived less than half a mile from the Scottish Parliament. While I was there, I had the privilege of meeting some incredible students from all over Scotland, who’ve lived most of their lives under the looming question of Scottish independence. In this episode, we talk about my friend’s education, experiences, and opinions on the ways that independence would impact Scottish lives and those of his friends and family.

4. Real Life

A quick overview of what we'll cover in The Settled Will: A Discussion on Scottish Independence.

0. Preview of The Settled Will

In 1994, Labour Party leader John Smith called the creation of the independent Scottish Parliament the “settled will of the people”; but since then, Scottish politics have been anything but settled. In this episode, we’re digging into the government and politics of Scotland. Last episode we covered the history of the movement, and how Scottish nationalism has gotten to where it is today. Through examining the work of Tom Nairn, the well-known Scottish political theorist, over time and against the political happenings of his work, we’ll discuss new Scottish nationalism. Then we’ll do a brief recap of Scottish politics as they stand.

2. We Thought This Was Settled

Since the 1000s, the Stone of Destiny was used in the coronation of Scottish kings, until 1296, when it was stolen by the English King Edward I. Since then, it has sat under the coronation chair of England. It was stolen by Scottish nationalists briefly, and finally made its way home among the politics of devolution. But recently, it traveled back to England, for yet another coronation. This episode, we’ll discuss the symbolic importance of the stone. We’ll recap our conclusions so far, and speculate, very loosely, on what comes next.