Identity and identity politics - Essay Example

Identity and Identity Politics Many questions are running in the minds of Britons and the Scots. Some of the questions arising are on how it would feel to be English without the Scots. Most importantly, British wonder if Welsh should join them. Scots lost their independence decades ago after their poor status forced them to enter into an incorporating union with England (Macintyre web). According to Ascherson, this move was reached to enable Scots access English markets and to the widening English oversees.

Decades later, Scots have prospered from profits made and industrialisation. However, they never lost their identity and their feeling is that the country retains it as a “residual sovereignty.” Scots’ have a party of their own that did so well last year and proved its worth and potentiality of their identity. Mr. Salmond, Scots’ first minister and leader of Scottish National party, wants a referendum by 2014 to fulfil the promise, (Ascherson web).According to Ford, social identities are a product of politics.

He claims that “social identities are inherently and irreducibly political” (Ford web). It is true that some identities are a product of politics. Scots after winning elections last year, Mr. Salmond is leading them towards a referendum, which will see them as an independent country. Calhoun argues that identity is seen in the relationship between essence and appearance and that it had to be achieved for development, (Calhoun 37). I feel that this need to identify Scotland as a country is triggered by the political success.

The idea of a possible referendum is quickly gaining acceptance among the Scots and therefore, it is just a matter of time before the overwhelming power of identity takes place. I think the main reason for Scots desire to move and be independent is to develop themselves as an independent nation. Identity is a great need of all human beings and Scots is no exception. Works CitedAscherson, Neal. “Will Scotland Go Its Own Way?” New York Times. 2012. Web 10 March 2012. Calhoun, Craig. Social theory and the politics of identity. 1994. London: Wiley-Blackwell, 1994. Print.Ford, Thompson, Richard.

“Political Identity as Identity Politics.” Unbound Harvard Journal of the Legal Left. 2009. 10 March 2012. Macintyre, James. “From Devolution to Independence.” The New York Times, 2012. Web 9 March 2012.