A Scottish National Canon? Processes of Literary Canon Formation in Scotland

Along with the resurgence of Scottish national consciousness and self-esteem in the second half of the twentieth century, Scottish literature experienced an important revival. Authors, such as Alasdair Gray, Liz Lochhead or Irvine Welsh, are increasingly not only perceived as British, but specifically as Scottish writers and even gain international recognition. This is not least the result of a concerted policy of canonisation by the institutions that mediate literature and by the authors themselves. This research project aims to research these processes of canon formation and their functions for the construction and stabilising of national identity. In particular, it will be empirically analysed which factors contribute to the formation of a national literary canon in Scotland, what impact on national self-perception this canon has and in what way this culture of canonisation is reflected in contemporary Scottish literature.