For centuries, the ‘Highland/Lowland divide’ has been regarded as crucial to how we see and understand Scotland’s landscape, history, literature, and culture. Highland symbolism stands proxy for the nation as a whole, yet at the same time external perceptions of the region and its people have usually been deeply negative. That hostile perspective is summed up in the famous phrase associated with the great 18th century Gaelic poet Alasdair mac Mhaighstir Alasdair (Alexander MacDonald): Mìorun mòr nan Gall, ‘the great ill-will of the Lowlander’.

Much has already been written on the divide and its related perceptions, particularly in the context of modern Scotland. This book aims to break new ground by bringing together eight studies which investigate Lowland perceptions of the Highlands across both medieval and modern timeframes; across the disciplines of history, literature, and the visual arts; and in settings outwith Scotland.

ISBN: 0 85261 820 X