Empire, exile, identity : locating Sir James Mackintosh's histories of England
This thesis explores the configuration and performance of national identity in Britain and the British empire in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, through a case study of the life of Sir James Mackintosh (1765-1832). Using Mackintoshâs unpublished journals and letters, alongside his published and political writings, it illustrates the relationship between social identity and spatial location in the construction of national belonging. It shows how Mackintoshâs social and geographical location both enabled his vision of the nation to be influential and informed that vision. Born in the Scottish Highlands, Mackintosh received his education from leading proponents of the Scottish enlightenment in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Encouraged to identify himself with a concept of civilisation that was equated to an urban, metropolitan and middle-class masculinity, Mackintosh distanced himself from his origins and connections with Highland Scotland, a space deemed âbackwardsâ and uncivilised. As a young Whig gentleman living in London during the 1790s, Mackintosh brought Scottish Enlightenment principles to bear on debates over the French Revolution and reform in Britain. Configuring the nation through
Gust, A. L.
Empire, exile, identity : locating Sir James Mackintosh's histories of England. This thesis explores the configuration and performance of national identity in Britain and the British empire in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, through a case study of the life of Sir James Mackintosh (1765-1832). Using Mackintoshâs unpublished journals and letters, alongside his published and political writings, it illustrates the relationship between social identity and spatial location in the construction of national belonging. It shows how Mackintoshâs social and geographical location both enabled his vision of the nation to be influential and informed that vision. Born in the Scottish Highlands, Mackintosh received his education from leading proponents of the Scottish enlightenment in Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Encouraged to identify himself with a concept of civilisation that was equated to an urban, metropolitan and middle-class masculinity, Mackintosh distanced himself from his origins and connections with Highland Scotland, a space deemed âbackwardsâ and uncivilised. As a young Whig gentleman living in London during the 1790s, Mackintosh brought Scottish Enlightenment principles to bear on debates over the French Revolution and reform in Britain. Configuring the nation through
empire exile identity locating sir james history england explores configuration performance national_identity britain british_empire case_study life sir james using unpublished journal letter alongside publish political_writing illustrate relationship social_identity spatial location construction national belonging show social geographical_location enable vision nation influential inform vision born scottish_highlands receive education lead proponent scottish_enlightenment aberdeen edinburgh identify concept civilisation equate urban metropolitan middle_class masculinity distance origin connection highland scotland space deem backwards young whig gentleman live london bring scottish_enlightenment principle bear debate french_revolution reform britain nation