Myth, Migration and the Making of Memory – Scotia and Nova Scotia, c.1700–1990

The essays in this volume, which are drawn from a wide range of disciplines, challenge us to consider critically the commonly held assumption that Nova Scotia is essentially Scottish in character.

They do so by exploring the origin of the mythic understanding of the link between Scotland and Nova Scotia, by expanding the examination of Scottish influences from the customary focus on Highland migrants to also include mercantile, philanthropic and professional transatlantic connections, and by studying how the memory of the links between the sending and receiving societies has been maintained in the oral and literary traditions.

Rather than denying the legitimacy of popular perceptions, this collection points to the varied and complex transatlantic relationship that has existed between Scotland and Nova Scotia and provides the foundation for a broader, more sophisticated, approach to this rich subject.