Scottishness and Irishness in New Zealand since 1840
By (author) Angela McCarthy
Publication date:
12 October 2010Length of book:
256 pagesPublisher
Manchester University PressDimensions:
234x156mmISBN-13: 9780719077616
This book examines the distinctive aspects that insiders and outsiders perceived as characteristic of Irish and Scottish ethnic identities in New Zealand. When, how, and why did Irish and Scots identify themselves and others in ethnic terms? What characteristics did the Irish and the Scots attribute to themselves and what traits did others assign to them? Did these traits change over time and if so how?
Contemporary interest surrounding issues of ethnic identities is vibrant. In countries such as New Zealand, descendants of European settlers are seeking their ethnic origins, spurred on in part by factors such as an ongoing interest in indigenous genealogies, the burgeoning appeal of family history societies, and the booming financial benefits of marketing ethnicities abroad.
This fascinating book will appeal to scholars and students of the history of empire and the construction of identity in settler communities, as well as those interested in the history of New Zealand.
‘Defining and interpreting the slippery, ever-changing and often self-selecting phenomenon of migrant identity is a challenging task, which has been accomplished with aplomb in this refreshing study ... it forces readers to revisit key themes such as the relationship between ethnicity and discrimination, and the assumption of concentric loyalties.’
Journal of Scottish Historical Studies, vol. 31, no. 2 (2011), pp. 253-55
‘With an increasing interest in ethnic identity it was refreshing to read such a unique and compelling review. Angela McCarthy provides the readers with a comprehensive and thoughtful examination of how Scottish and Irish ethnic identities have played out in New Zealand since 1840 … McCarthy’s acknowledgement of the importance of context, shifting identities over time and place, as well as the understanding that the processes of identification and categorization are complex and interactive, is important to this book, going beyond a historical accounting and into a work that provides a strong contribution to the work on ethnic relations. McCarthy’s work should be found on the bookshelves of ethnic scholars interested in the processes of identity’.
Ethnic and Racial Studies, vol. 34, no. 9 (2011), pp. 1626-7
‘Beyond the clever use of sources, McCarthy’s intelligent interpretation makes Scottishness and Irishness in New Zealand Since 1840 a useful addition to the growing body of work on New Zealand immigration. While some readers of this magazine may have preferred the work to be dedicated solely to the Scots, it is the comparative nature of the book that is its greatest strength. Too often Scottish emigration is considered in isolation, but to gain a fuller understanding of Scotland’s Diaspora, it must be considered in a wider context. This informative and enjoyable read is certainly a step towards achieving just that.’
History Scotland (Nov 2012)
... this wide range of sources, combined with her broad historiographical introduction that sets the study within the international literature on the Scots and Irish across the British Empire and the United States, makes the volume an excellent starting point for any readers new to this area of scholarship.
A book that makes us work hard, and makes us think—especially when we place it alongside wider study of diaspora. For this we give thanks.