A movement of the early to mid 20th century with a profound influence on the Scottish independence movement, the development of the Scottish National Party, and eventual devolution.
Among such a diverse and flexible group of writers, some common themes emerge:
- developing a distinctively Scottish cultural agenda;
- rejecting the nostalgia and parochialism of the "Kailyard", in favour of cosmopolitanism; it is interesting to note how many of the Scots authors and poets were also translators - with Edwin and Willa Muir responsible for introducing Kafka to the English-speaking world.
- engaging with social and political themes;
- developing writing in Gaelic and Lowland Scots, as well as English.