Labour's election victory in 1997 paved the way for the process of constitutional devolution in the UK, with strong ramifications in terms of citizenship, nationality and national identity. There has been much discussion of the constitutional, societal, legal and financial aspects devolution, but very little published work to date on the identity implications of the devolution process. In this volume, a team of authors from across the UK, as well as a US commentator, explore the ways in which devolution is experienced and understood by citizens from the devolved regions. Informed by a discursive/textual/communication approach to identity, the volume offers an integrated range of theoretical and empirical perspectives and both macro and micro-level analyses of devolution and identity processes. Studies are drawn from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and there are additional chapters examining the process of UK devolution in the light of processes of US federalism and European regionalisation. Themes covered include discourse and interaction, education, gender, sport, geography and 'place identity', history, culture and artistic practice, language, minority and majority identities and political communication. In exploring the impact of the devolution process on both individual and group identities, the authors aim to provide a richer understanding of the devolution process itself, as well as a new understanding of the relationship between socio-political structures and identity.
Industry Reviews
'Conceived as an agenda-setting, open-format debate, the book provides rich discourse-evidenced arguments on a range of thematics? at a comparative level - which only an edited volume can aspire to achieve. These arguments certainly deserve to reach a wider readership, including the public, the policy makers and the politicians.' Srikant Sarangi, Cardiff University, UK 'This is a valuable collection in bringing to the fore questions of changing identities in the devolution process, and issues of experience and understanding of that process on the ground within the devolved regions.' European Journal of Communication 'An engaging if also eclectic mix of articles about devolution in the United Kingdom, Devolution and Identity provides a rich window on issues swirling around the contemporary devolution process in the UK. It is an important read for those interested in devolution in the UK - and for those interested in processes of deterritorialization the world over.' Journal of Sociololinguistics 'In this growing literature on devolution and identity, this collection of essays is a welcome addition to the genre.' Scottish Affairs 'Shirlow and McEvoy draw on over two years of extensive surveys, focus groups and interviews with former prisoners in North and West Belfast...This timely research is critical to furthering our understanding of the often theoretically misunderstood field of conflict transformation from a practice perspective. It provides an excellent insight into one of the more controversial aspects of the terms of the Good Friday Agreement...this carefully researched and well-written book is recommended not only to those interested in conflict transformation but also as necessary reading for those charged with progressing conflict transformation processes here and elsewhere.' Political Studies Review