Today's diversity in Scotland's official past: investigating the depiction of immigrants in Scottish history textbooks

Abstract

In a post-Independence referendum and post-Brexit Scotland, young people of different ethnicities and cultures are educated for an uncertain world. The subject of History plays an important role in how these pupils come to understand Scotland as a nation. History textbooks, as vehicles of the curriculum, narrate the official story of the nation. This research looks at how identity formation of pupils of migrant backgrounds intersects with the narrative of official history textbooks. Which groups have entered the national history? Who is recognised as belonging to Scotland? This dissertation will investigate which immigrant groups are depicted in Scottish history textbooks and what the contents of these presentations are. The research is situated against the backdrop of current political discourses which often paint an image of Scotland as an inclusive nation. Three contemporary textbooks at National 5 level from Scotland’s leading educational publishers will be analysed. Relevant contents will be analysed using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Three core aspects of CDA will allow for an streamlined investigation: ‘Attributes’, ‘Processes’, and ‘Circumstances’. This dissertation finds that textbooks depict Scottish natives alongside Irish, Italian, Jewish, and Lithuanian immigrants. However, historical research suggests that immigrants of Asian, Caribbean, and African origins have been present in Scotland from at least the 18th century onwards. While the textbooks construct a sympathetic image of the immigrant groups. the image of local Scots is comparatively negative, depicting their discrimination against newcomers. Official textbooks contradict the trend of current political discourses which paint an image of Scotland as an inclusive nation. Practical implications of these findings for history teachers include underlining contemporary relevant issues of the immigration experience depicted in the textbooks.