Call for papers

Scottish women and the constitution of the idea of Scotland

There are outstanding women in the history of Scotland, from Mary Queen of Scots to Jackie Kay or recently Nicola Sturgeon, but overall, the history both of the country and of the country’s literature is mostly male. Tom Devine’s The Scottish Nation: 1700-2000 (1999, 2006)includes a chapter specifically devoted to Scottish women, a fact which, in itself, points to the lack of integration of women into the mainstream of Scottish history. In the field of literary history, there have been in the last two decades several publications, such as Aileen Christianson and Alison Lumsden’s Contemporary Scottish Women Writing (2000), devoted to women artists’ specificity, and therefore recognizing the part they play in the cultural make up of the country. At a time when Scotland is envisaging itself as a nation again, when both the country’s First Minister and the Scottish Makar are women, the conference will examine what place there is for women in Scotland, and their role in the constitution of our idea of the nation over the centuries.

We therefore invite contributions on women and Scotland, on the part played by women in Scotland’s history and politics, but also on individual artists, contemporary or of the past.

Papers can address the following issues:

-        The history of women in Scotland

-        Gender politics in Scotland

-        Women in politics

-        The changing role of Women after WWI and WWII

-        Feminism in Scotland

-        The Women for Independence movement

-        Women playwrights and writers of the 19^th and 20^th century

-        The part played by women in the constitution of the literary and artistic canon

-        Women in literature : women characters in Scottish literature

-        Women and the church

-        The current trend to identify and publicize the action of “outstanding women of Scotland” (see for example the Saltire Society’s initiatives of 2014 and 2015)

-        Individual women artists or historical /political figures

Proposals for 20-minute papers on these or other relevant topics should be sent by email to Marie-Odile Pittin-Hedon at marie-odile.hedon@univ-amu.fr. Papers can be in French or in English. A selection of papers will be published.

Please include the following information:

• the full title of your paper;

• a 200-word abstract;

• your name, postal and e-mail address;

• your university affiliation

• a short biographical note

Deadline for proposals: June 15, 2016.

Notification of acceptance: July 15, 2016