Global Migrations

Reviews / Votes

'The coherence of such a volume is really down to the judicious editing, selection, sequencing and co-ordination of the editors, and in all these respects McCarthy and MacKenzie are to be commended ... A history book ought to be judged as much by the questions it raises as by the answers it offers: that is the ultimate motor of a mature historiographical tradition. In this regard, this volume is exemplary'. -- Catriona M.M. Macdonald * Britain and the World * 'Among Sir Tom Devine's many historical achievements is his lifelong effort to draw attention to the outward-looking nature of Scotland and the Scots. From his earliest to his most recent major works, Devine has shown how Scotland shaped the world and how the wider world formed Scotland. So great is his accomplishment in this field that it deserves both fulsome celebration and critical attention: The Global Migrations of the Scottish People since 1600 is just such a wide-ranging tribute.' * David Armitage, Harvard University * Among Sir Tom Devine's many historical achievements is his lifelong effort to draw attention to the outward-looking nature of Scotland and the Scots. From his earliest to his most recent major works, Devine has shown how Scotland shaped the world and how the wider world formed Scotland. So great is his accomplishment in this field that it deserves both fulsome celebration and critical attention: The Global Migrations of the Scottish People since 1600 is just such a wide-ranging tribute. * David Armitage, Harvard University * This volume is indeed a welcome contribution furthering studies of the complex task of defining Scottish diaspora, and the relationships between those that emigrated, their descendants and Scotland. More than this, however, the volume raises the challenging question of what it means to be Scottish, an issue that is not merely historical but of current concern for the nation.' -- Dr Scott Spurlock, University of Glasgow * History Scotland * McCarthy and MacKenzie have brought together a range of perspectives on the Scots abroad, shining new light on old subjects, and bringing new themes and debates to the fore. This fitting tribute to the work of Sir Tom Devine will, hopefully, inspire scholars to continue to examine the remarkable history of Scotland and the world. -- Benjamin Wilkie, University of Otago * Innes Review * Edited by Angela McCarthy and John MacKenzie - both prolific scholars in the field of Scottish diaspora history themselves - the collection is, in essence, framed by the questions Sir Tom Devine has explored in his own work for several decades...the collection brings together established and younger scholars, as well as museum curators, to offer fascinating insights into diverse facets of the history of the Scots abroad by focusing on three framing themes: ethnicity; impact at home; and comparisons. -- Tanja Bueltmann * SCOTIA * 'This top-notch collection questions its share of assumptions, notably the idea that everyone took to the seas because of poverty when, in fact, "most Scots who migrated did so to pursue new opportunities rather than escape oppression." The methodological scope is equally impressive...The volume's bench of contributors (from the UK, the US, Australia and New Zealand) has a pleasingly global complexion, and the range of subjects covered certainly makes for a compelling read.' -- Jonathan Wright * The Herald *