Jim MacPherson – författare

This is the first book-length study of James Macpherson (1736-1796) that considers him as an historian. From his early poetry, to the Ossianic Collections, his prose histories, and his later political writing, Macpherson's subject was the past and he engaged with the latest Enlightenment theories about how to write history. Macpherson the Historian examines James' published works, from the neoclassical verse of The Highlander (1758) to his pamphlets defending the British imperial state during the late 1770s. In all of these texts, Macpherson wrote as an Enlightenment historian, where ideas about narrative, philosophy, and erudition were interwoven with eighteenth-century debates about the Highlands, commercial modernity, and the British Empire.

First study of James Macpherson (1736-1796) as an historianSituates Macpherson as a key figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, broadening our understanding of historiography and the relationship between history and fictionExplores Macpherson's entire corpus literary, historical, political - to enable new research into Enlightenment disciplines, Romantic notions of conjectural history and interdisciplinary thinkers, adding to the Humanities more widely rather than just Literature or History by re-evaluating an author traditionally studied in Literature as an Enlightenment figureInvestigates examples of nation-building and questions of post-Union Scottish and British identity, which will change your perception of national (Scottish, British) and regional (Highland) identities in the Enlightenment and beyondThe story remains relevant today: Macpherson as a Scot in London, who retained close connections to his Highland home while promoting a sustained and nuanced British identity without losing sight of Scottishness in his works, reflects contemporary notions of national identityThis is the first book-length study of James Macpherson (1736-1796) that considers him as an historian. From his early poetry, to the Ossianic Collections, his prose histories, and his later political writing, Macpherson's subject was the past and he engaged with the latest Enlightenment theories about how to write history.Macpherson the Historian examines James' published works, from the neoclassical verse of The Highlander (1758) to his pamphlets defending the British imperial state during the late 1770s. In all of these texts, Macpherson wrote as an Enlightenment historian, where ideas about narrative, philosophy, and erudition were interwoven with eighteenth-century debates about the Highlands, commercial modernity, and the British Empire.

Northern Scotland is an annual peer-reviewed international journal that addresses historical, cultural, economic, political and geographical themes relating to the Highlands and Islands and north-east of Scotland.

Considers historical, cultural, economic, political and geographical themes relating to Northern Scotland.Northern Scotland is an established scholarly journal that has been in existence since 1972. It is a fully peer-reviewed publication whose editorial board, contributors, reviewers and referees are drawn from a wide range of experts across the world. While it carries material of a mainly historical nature, from the earliest times to the modern era, it is a cross-disciplinary publication, which also addresses cultural, economic, political and geographical themes relating to the Highlands and Islands and the north-east of Scotland. This issue looks at a wide range of topics, including satire, the Highland clearances, Alexander Mackenzie and diaspora. Combining a range of articles from a variety of experts, this issue seeks to explore the history and culture of northern Scotland.Key FeaturesConsiders issues of social change, colonialism, emigration and migration.Provides fresh readings of Northern Scotland’s established history.Contributors are drawn from a wide range of experts across the world.