National Days: Constructing and Mobilising National Identity

"Like national identity, national days involve a process of 'othering', saying who you are, as much as who you are not. If some countries (such as Scotland and Ireland) celebrate them far more strongly than their neighbour, England, why is that? Why is there no British day? Why should near-neighbours, Sweden, Norway and Finland, have such different traditions of national remembering? What if a national day and its associations are so tied into a previous political regime that they have become an embarrassment? Germany, Italy and South Africa have undergone radical political changes in the last 60 years, and with these, complex processes of forgetting and remembering. If national days have considerable political significance, whether positive or negative,they are also of major economic worth. Just as 'heritage' is not simply a matter of history, but of markets, so 'national days' have the potential to be major icons of national tourism. "--Book cover.

"The book shows how national days are best understood in the context of debates about national identity. It argues that national days are contested and manipulated, as well as subject to political, cultural and social pressure. It brings together some of the most recent research on national days and sets it in a comparative context"--Provided by publisher.



Like national identity, national days involve a process of 'othering', saying who you are, as much as who you are not. If some countries (such as Scotland and Ireland) celebrate them far more strongly than their neighbour, England, why is that? Why is there no British day? Why should near-neighbours, Sweden, Norway and Finland, have such different traditions of national remembering? What if a national day and its associations are so tied into a previous political regime that they have become an embarrassment? Germany, Italy and South Africa have undergone radical political changes in the last 60 years, and with these, complex processes of forgetting and remembering. If national days have considerable political significance, whether positive or negative, they are also of major economic worth. Just as 'heritage' is not simply a matter of history, but of markets, so 'national days' have the potential to be major icons of national tourism.

Introduction
D.McCrone& G.McPherson The Calendar Conundrum: National Days as Unstable Signifiers
M.E.Geisler 'We wanna show 'em who we are': National Events in England
M.Skey Scotland Days: Evolving Nation and Icons
D.McCrone ReMembering the Nation: Remembrance Days and the Nation in Ireland
J.Poulter Australia Day: A Day for All Australians?
W.Pearson& G.O'Neill Successful Nation-Building and Ceremonial Triumph: Constitution Day in Norway
G.Elgenius Mediating the Nation: Celebrating 6th June in Sweden
M.Rodell The Politics of Calendar: Independence Day in Finland
H.Nyyssonen Celebrating German Reunification Day since
1990
V.Simon Difficult Days and National Calendars: Italy, Cultural Trauma and giorno del ricordo
A.Cossu Afrikaner Nationalism's Holy Day
P.E.Louw One Country: Three National Days (Valencia)
E.Castello& R.Castello Parading Conspicuous Identity: St Patrick's Day, New York
G.McPherson, M.Foley & A.McIntosh Marking Time: Conclusion
D.McCrone & G.McPherson

DAVID MCCRONE is Professor of Sociology, Institute of Governance, University of Edinburgh, UK. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and a Fellow of the British Academy. He coordinated the research programme on Constitutional Change and National Identity funded by the Leverhulme Trust (1999-2005), and its follow-up programme on National Identity, Citizenship and Social Inclusion (2005-11). GAYLE MCPHERSON is Senior Lecturer in Cultural Policy, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK. She leads a team with interests in the consumption and production of festivals and events, both on a global scale and in enhancing community interests. Her research also examines the use of culture in developing social cohesion and social economy skills. She has a particular interest in the social and cultural impacts and benefits of large scale events on local communities.