The Scottish Office and the ‘Glasgow Problem’
In Spring 1997, civil servants in Edinburgh, in the pre-devolution Scottish Office (SO), faced ‘the Glasgow Problem’.
5 things the Piper Alpha disaster tells us about how the media covers anniversaries
Richard Jones on how journalism can reinterpret the meaning of historic events, helping them to retain a place in society’s shared consciousness.
Lessons from Scottish Schools
Lindsay Paterson discusses Scotland’s educational decline and the social inequality of attainment.
The Scottish Martyrs and the antagonisms between Scots Law and British penal practice
Editors introduce their article on the Scottish Martyrs, which was the runner up in the SHR’s inaugural Early Career Researcher prize (Published in the journal’s December 2025 issue)
The Future of Scottish Higher Education
Purpose, Freedom, and Sustainability
(Special Edition of Scottish Affairs)
Jacobitism and Conceptions of Ethical Colonialism
Briefly challenges the assumption that colonialism is inherently immoral
A country that cares: the rocky road to transforming Scotland’s social care system
A Scotland that gets its social care system right will be a Scotland that cares.
The Scottish Parliament is Not Working
James Bundy on why the Scottish Parliament isn't working as it should.
Who were the Estate Ground Officers of the Highland Clearances?
The study asks and answers the vital questions: Who were these men and how were they selected?