Lyndsay Macrae Leanne Taylor

The ‘Big Three’ Discourses  Kailyard – sentimental and nostalgic representation of rural Scotland with no real issues or problems.  Tartanry – romanticised depictions of Scotland usually featuring noble highlanders in beautiful highland landscapes.  Clydesideism – Focused on West Scotland, typically features hardworking Scottish men in urban settings.

“at a societal level it provides a reflection of cultural norms, social structures and ideologies. At the individual level it is an important element in shaping experiences and in moulding relationships between people and places“ Malcomson (1985)

"evoke images as contrary as Glasgow hard men and prim Edinburgh lawyers; Clyde shipbuilders and rural, very proper Presbyterian villagers; plucky Gaels and ruddy-cheeked, whisky-swilling Highlanders in ridiculous plaid dress….. Yet, while all of these images seem to be recognizably 'Scottish,' they do little justice to everyday Scotland, even while they retain a very real role in preserving many Scots' sense of their own national identity." Bicket (1998)

Discourse Problems  Iron Cage Constantly reiterated = strengthening  Reductionist; Does not reflect contemporary Scottish life. ○ Formulaic ○ Stereotypical ○ Out-of-date

"the role of mythology, legend and fable, the gothic, the supernatural and the unconcious within the development of the Scottish imagination is not a symptom of psychosis but a sophisticated engagement with the fantastic that other cultures might celebrate as magic realism“ Whyte (1995)

Fixing the Discourse Problem  Introducing a mixture of tradition discourses and bringing in modern, up- to-date images of Scotland.  This would allow images of Scotland to remain easy to identify but make it a more realistic representation of Scottish life.