Some Thoughts on Scotland’s Children and How We Listen to Each Other
Some Thoughts on Scotland’s Children and How We Listen to Each Other Gerry Hassan December 10th 2009 Last week I went to Bathgate Academy at the invitation of the Deputy Head Teacher Robbie McFedries to speak to their Sixth Year. Impressively each year they run what they call an Ethics Conference bringing together all their Sixth Year for a whole day of talks, discussions and activities. This year they had decided to address Scottish identity and asked me to look at the relationship between our past, present and future. It was an impressive day and the school hall was filled
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The Mindset of Denial: A Panel of Experts Write
The Mindset of Denial: A Panel of Experts Write Gerry Hassan November 27th 2009 I have written fairly often on the subject that passes for sectarianism in Scotland, at times written on football, and occasionally written on both. For some reason, my column yesterday in ‘The Scotsman’ that addressed these subjects, along with racism and homophobia, rankled a range of Rangers opinion who decided to get in contact. I cannot claim that these half dozen Rangers fans who contacted me are a representative cross-section of the club’s support, but what is interesting is that these fans expressed themselves in a
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Hopeful Stories for Scottish Men
Hopeful Stories for Scottish Men Gerry Hassan Centre for Confidence and Well-Being, September 11th 2009 The story of Scottish men in overall and specific terms is familiar and dispiriting. The lower levels of life expectancy, poorer health record, ‘the Scottish effect’ and a whole host of other factors. In parts of Scotland the life chances of men are the worst of anywhere in Western Europe, and on a par with some parts of the former Soviet Union, and seemingly shaped by a seeming bleakness and lack of hope. Things on one level are actually worse than ‘the official story’ tells
Whatever Happened to the Giants of Scotland? Life after Archie, Arthur and Bob Crampsey
What Happened to the Giants of Scotland? Life after Archie, Arthur and Bob Crampsey The Scotsman, August 13th 2009 Gerry Hassan The big boys football season starts this weekend. All across Scotland, football fans will be tuning in their radios, watching TV results, and turning to newspaper back pages and special supplements. Another year, another season, and yet something has gone wrong with the way football is presented and reported in this country. It has come to represent a very unflattering, unattractive aspect of ourselves which should give us pause for thought. It wasn’t always like this. Once football
