"Charity, kindness and neighbourliness were central parts of Christian life in late medieval and early modern Europe. Despite the theological and social upheavals of the Reformation, the practice and necessity of giving remained widespread. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, civil magistrates developed complex systems to distribute alms to paupers aimed at separating the deserving poor from the feckless, idle or otherwise undeserving among them. Pulpits across Europe echoed with the same message: give generously and support pious causes. The appeals worked: centralised systems of charity distributed significant amounts of money across the period reflected in the increasingly complex accounts that they left behind. Away from the institutional perspective, however, we know little about domestic forms of charity or where they sat in relation to these newly- developed poor relief structures"--

Examines the variety in Scottish 'home life', and considers what has shaped its society. This book in fourteen volumes, aims to examine the interlocking strands of history, language and traditional culture within an international context and their contribution to the making of a national identity.

Substantially revised and rewritten in the light of the 1997 General Election and Devolution referendum, the 2nd edition of this widely-used text provides an up-to-date assessment of Scottish politics under Blair and the likely impact of the new Scottish Parliament. The book focuses in particular on Scotland's constitutional position within the UK; its system of policy making; the nature of the Scottish economy; and the changing patterns of party electoral and grass roots politics. An important feature is its focus throughout on the relationship between culture, identity and ethnicity and that between politics and civil society as it has developed since the Act of Union in 1707.

Written by a leading sociologist of Scotland, this ground-breaking new introduction is a comprehensive account of the social, political, economic and cultural processes at work in contemporary Scottish society. At a time of major uncertainty and transformation The New Sociology of Scotland explores every aspect of Scottish life. Placed firmly in the context of globalisation, the text: examines a broad range of topics including race and ethnicity, social inequality, national identity, health, class, education, sport, media and culture, among many others. looks at the ramifications of recent political events such as British General Election of 2015, the Scottish parliament election of May 2016, and the Brexit referendum of June 2016. uses learning features such as further reading and discussion questions to stimulate students to engage critically with issues raised. Written in a lucid and accessible style, The New Sociology of Scotland is an indispensable guide for students of sociology and politics.

Understanding Scotland has been recognised since publication as the key text on the sociology of Scotland. This wholly revised edition provides the first sustained study of post-devolution Scottish society. It contains new material on: * the establishment of the Scottish parliament in 1999 * social and political data from the 1997 general elections * the new cultural iconography of Scotland * Scotland as a European society. For anyone wishing to understand Scottish society in particular or the general issues involved in nation building, McCrone's clear-headed coherently argued account of the main issues will be essential reading.