Northern Neighbours: Scotland and Norway Since 1800 - Softcover

John Bryden; Ottar Brox; Lesley Riddoch

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1474419127 ISBN 13: 9781474419123

Publisher: Edinburgh University Press, 2016

Synopsis

Northern Neighbours explores the reasons for, and outcomes of, the social, political and economic divergence between Scotland and Norway over a period encompassing 500 years, in an engaging and comprehensive way. This accessible comparative study takes a closer look at the links between suffrage, property ownership and the process of democratisation and distribution of political power, land use and reform, the relative movement of populations, the process of industrialization, and rights of access. It offers a thorough analysis of the history of religion, education and finance in both countries, and explores the exploitation of their rich natural resources, and the resulting contrast in their fortunes. The authors also pose timely questions about the future of both countries; whether the economic and social disparities between the two can be addressed, and if the Nordic model could provide a basis for a realistic and effective development strategy for Scotland, were it to become an independent nation.

About this title

About the Author

John Bryden is a Political Economist. He is Emeritus Professor of Human Geography at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland and has worked as research professor with the Norwegian Agricultural Economics Research Institute since 2008. John has been a Government advisor, and was external advisor to the Scottish Land Reform Policy Group. He has been visiting scholar at the Universities of Guelph, Cornell, Missouri-Colombia, and Pretoria as well as at the Centre for Development Studies in Kerala, India, and at the University of Pretoria. Ottar Brox is a former professor of sociology and planning at the University of Tromso, and Senior Researcher, Norwegian Institute of Urban and Regional Research. He has published about 25 books, most of them in Norwegian, on community and regional development, rural industries and immigration. He has also served as a member of the Norwegian Parliament and the Oslo City Council. Lesley Riddoch is one of Scotland's best known commentators and broadcasters. She won two SONY awards for radio programmes with BBC Scotland, presented Radio 4's You & Yours and BBC 2's Midnight Hour. Lesley was assistant editor of The Scotsman and Contributing Editor of the Sunday Herald. She's a regular Scotsman columnist, co-founder of the policy group Nordic Horizons and author of Blossom - What Scotland Needs to Flourish.

From the Back Cover

BCC approved (with endorsements) “How is it that two broadly similar countries, neighbours with roughly equal populations and similar natural conditions, can follow two very different development paths? The authors of Northern Neighbours claim that ‘politics matter’. In their comparative history of Scotland and Norway, key factors in each county’s development are thrown into relief. The result is a convincing explanation for their divergence and a significant contribution to development theory in general.” Matthew Hoffman, Cornell University“In this important book we can read another exciting attempt to examine through the comparative lens the modern histories of Norway and Scotland. A team of interdisciplinary experts drawn from both countries and elsewhere in the UK have been assembled to consider the radically different historical paths of two small nations and the social, political and economic consequences.” Professor Sir Tom M. DevineA topical, comparative study of the economic, social and political development of Norway and ScotlandNorthern Neighbours explores the reasons for, and outcomes of, the social, political and economic divergence between Scotland and Norway over a period encompassing 500 years, in an engaging and comprehensive way. This accessible comparative study takes a closer look at the links between suffrage, property ownership and the process of democratisation and distribution of political power, land use and reform, the relative movement of populations, the process of industrialization, and rights of access. It offers a thorough analysis of the history of religion, education and finance in both countries, and explores the exploitation of their rich natural resources, and the resulting contrast in their fortunes.The authors also pose timely questions about the future of both countries; whether the economic and social disparities between the two can be addressed, and if the Nordic model could provide a basis for a realistic and effective development strategy for Scotland, were it to become an independent nation.John Bryden is Emeritus Professor of Human Geography at the University of Aberdeen and researcher for the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO)Ottar Brox is former research director of the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional ResearchLesley Riddoch is a freelance journalist, commentator and broadcaster

Edition details

• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1474419127
• ISBN 13: 9781474419123
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336
• Editor: John Bryden, Ottar Brox, Lesley Riddoch