Enfilade

From St Andrews:

Emblems of Nationhood: Britishness 1707–1901, A Multidisciplinary Conference
University of St Andrews, 10-12 August 2012

National identity is a central point of enquiry that is repeatedly called upon in contemporary social and political rhetoric. Our conference, Emblems of Nationhood, 1707–1901, will address the roots of this theme by discussing depictions of Britain and Britishness in literature, philosophy, and art between the Act of Union in 1707 and the death of Queen Victoria in 1901. Over the course of this multidisciplinary conference, we aim to explore how expressions of nationalism have moulded both critical perspectives on national identity and their creative products.

Discussing emblems of nationhood in 2012 is a fitting way to mark the twentieth anniversary of Linda Colley’s seminal account of Britishness, Britons: Forging the Nation, and coincides with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Several broad questions could potentially  be explored in the course of the conference: What did Britishness mean in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and how was it represented and perceived? To what extent is nationalism tied with military events and empire building? How “British” was Britain before the launch of the Empire? How did concepts of nationalism enter the public consciousness, both within the British Isles and abroad? What is the impact of artistic and cultural depictions of Britain and Britishness in domestic and international contexts? How can these historical ideas of Britishness enhance our contemporary understanding of the concepts of nationalism and national identity?

Speakers include: Colin Kidd, Emma Major, Linda Colley, and Calum Colvin

Details on the full programme and registration are available at the conference website.