The Institute is pleased to announce our theme for academic year 2025-26: Making A Nation.
This will be a year-long exploration of independence and nation-making, culminating in the 250th anniversary of the ratification of the US Declaration of Independence on 4 July 2026.
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence on 4 July 2026 - and on 15 November 2026, the centenary of the Balfour Declaration issued by the Imperial Conference that laid the foundations of the Commonwealth - an examination of the intricate relationship between independence and nation-making becomes not only pertinent but imperative.
One avenue for academic inquiry could involve comparative analysis of the United States' journey to independence with other nations that have undergone similar processes. Exploring the global context of nation-making during the late 18th century, and in subsequent periods, provides a broader perspective on the uniqueness or universality of the American experience.
Scholars could investigate the factors that contributed to the success or failure of independence movements in different regions, the role of external influences, and the enduring legacies of these nation-making processes. This comparative framework not only enhances our understanding of the American Revolution, but also fosters a more comprehensive appreciation of the diverse paths all nations have taken in their quest for autonomy and self-determination. In light of the approaching anniversaries, such an exploration can contribute significantly to the ongoing discourse on the global significance of the United States' Declaration of Independence and its enduring impact on the world stage.
Another potential avenue for scholarly exploration lies in delving into the role of marginalised communities in shaping independence narratives. Analysing how these communities navigated the complex terrain of independence and constitutionalism, either as active contributors or as those whose agency was curtailed, provides a nuanced understanding of the broader nation-making process.
Against this backdrop, the theme of nation-building raises deeper, more critical questions about the nature of legitimacy and the politics of identity: for whom and by whom nationhood is claimed. It also raises questions of land use and (dis)possession and the intricate relationship between territoriality and (de)coloniality. In a world beset by conflict, what might we learn from past examples of nation-making that enable a more positive and just vision of what it means to belong?
Topics for research could therefore include:
- USA/UK relations and the ‘Special Relationship’, including Scotland’s role in the American Revolution
- Gaining independence from Britain and the Empire: Ireland, India, the Caribbean, Australia, Zimbabwe, etc.
- Scottish independence – where does it stand in 2026?
- The Brexit Referendum, 10 years on
- Nationalism and the nation-state
- Enlightenment thinkers and 1776
- Constitutions in law, politics and practice
- Artistic responses to nation-making
- Utopias and dystopias: creating impossible countries
- Peacebuilding and reconciliation
- Migration and refugees; mobile populations
- Homelands and ideas of home
- Politics of identity and nationhood
- Land rights, land ownership, dispossession
- Legacies of independence: neo-colonialism, partition, dependency
- The University of Edinburgh’s links with independence and constitutional movements, from Balfour to Banda
Throughout 2025-26, IASH will host a diverse scholarly community of visiting Fellows, creating a supportive environment for researchers and scholars at all career stages. Fellows will find plenty of opportunities to socialise and share ideas in the Institute's historic building in a private, tree-shaded Edinburgh courtyard - perfect for uninterrupted thinking, reading and writing. From upwards of 65 countries, IASH Fellows form a global alumni community, and many career-long connections begin at the Institute.
It is important to note that we still welcome applications on all topics and in all areas of the arts, humanities and social sciences to continue IASH’s traditional interdisciplinary work across CAHSS schools, alongside Making A Nation.
Applications for all academic Fellowships will open on 8 January 2025, with the exception of the American Philosophical Association Fellowship (closing 15 December 2024) and the Fulbright Scotland Distinguished Scholar Award at Edinburgh (closed on 16 September 2024).