Acts of Union and Disunion

The United Kingdom; Great Britain; the British Isles; the Home Nations: such a wealth of different names implies uncertainty and contention - and an ability to invent and adjust. In a year that sees a Scottish referendum on independence, Linda Colley analyses some of the forces that have unified Britain in the past. She examines the mythology of Britishness, and how far - and why - it has faded. She discusses the Acts of Union with Wales, Scotland and Ireland, and their limitations, while scrutinizing England's own fractures. And she demonstrates how the UK has been shaped by movement: of British people to other countries and continents, and of people, ideas and influences arriving from elsewhere. As acts of union and disunion again become increasingly relevant to our daily lives and politics, Colley considers how - if at all - the pieces might be put together anew, and what this might mean. Based on a 15-part BBC Radio 4 series.

About the author

One of our most distinguished historians, Linda Colley is Shelby M.C.Davis 1958 Professor of History at Princeton and a Fellow of the British Academy. She has previously taught at Cambridge, Yale and LSE. Her earlier books include Wolfson Prize-winning Britons: Forging the Nation 1707-1837; Captives: Britain, Empire and the World, 1600-1850 and The Ordeal of Elizabeth Marsh: A Woman in World History.
Acts of Union and Disunion was a 15-part BBC Radio 4 series in January 2014.

Report

Praise for Linda Colley and for Britons: Forging the Nation 1707-1837:

'A completely original intelligence
Roy Foster Financial Times

Product details

• Authors: Linda Colley, Colley Linda
• Publisher: Profile Books
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback
• Released: 01.01.2014
• EAN: 9781781251850
• ISBN: 978-1-78125-185-0
• No. of pages: 192
• Dimensions: 135 mm x 200 mm x 20 mm
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > General, dictionaries; Non-fiction book; Wales, Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, European History, Scotland, Nationalism, 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / Georgian Era (1714-1837), HISTORY / Europe / Ireland, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / European, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / Scotland, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / 20th Century, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / Victorian Era (1837-1901), 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, Ireland, HISTORY / Europe / Great Britain / Wales, 20th century, c 1900 to c 1999, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, British & Irish history, United Kingdom, Great Britain