SECTARIANISM IN SCOTLAND AND IN GLASGOW: THE PRESENT AND THE PAST
SECTARIANISM IN SCOTLAND AND IN GLASGOW: THE PRESENT AND THE PAST

Summary/Abstract: In popular understanding, the word “sectarianism” in Scotland describes the religious conflict and prejudice between Catholics and Protestants and it is directly connected with the events in Northern Ireland, but it doesn’t involve the mainstream of Protestant and Catholic churches. Steve Bruce defines sectarianism «a widespread and shared culture of improperly treating people in terms of their religion» (Brice et al, 2004: 4). Sectarianism has its origins in the wide fluxes of Irish people to Scotland in the middle of Nineteenth century and it developed big social conflicts in the past. “Divided city” is a very popular novel by Theresa Breslin: it describes Glasgow as a city in which clashes and prejudices between Irish Catholics and Scottish Protestants still happen in daily life, often connected with the football teams of Glasgow Celtic (mostly supported by people with Irish background) and Glasgow Rangers (mostly supported by people with Scottish background). Focusing also on the divide between Catholic schools and Protestant schools, the article aims to reflect on the effective presence of sectarian attitudes and manifestations in Scottish society and on the possible solutions to face them. The paper is based on a literature review about the past and the present situation, and on the data collected during a qualitative research that the author has done in Glasgow in April/May/June 2011 with the supervision of Stephen McKinney, Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow, Faculty of Education. During the research, social officers, police officers, leaders of religious association, researchers and activists had been met and interviewed.

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