Celebrating 50 Years of ‘The Making of the Crofting Community’ in Dornoch

The UHI Centre for History hosted a sold-out two-day conference on 11 and 12 June at Dornoch Social Club, celebrating the work and career of Professor Emeritus Jim Hunter.

Professor Hunter founded the UHI Centre for History in 2005 and has been a key figure in the educational, political and cultural landscape of the Highlands and Islands.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of his seminal work, ‘The Making of the Crofting Community’, and the conference brought together scholars, creative practitioners and activists from around the world to reflect on the impact of the publication and Professor Hunter’s wider career.

Alongside cultural and political movements such as ‘The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil’, Runrig, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and the establishment of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), ‘The Making of the Crofting Community’ is widely regarded as having helped shape a cultural and political revival in the Highlands.

Professor Hunter’s writing, career and campaigning were also central to the development of the community land buyout movement, which has transformed social, economic and cultural life across the Highlands and Islands.

The conference provided an opportunity to reflect on the enduring significance of ‘The Making of the Crofting Community’, while also creating a forum for discussion on key issues facing the region today, including land, people and communities, and the social, cultural, ecological and economic challenges of the future.

Dr Elizabeth Ritchie, UHI Centre for History, said:

"History is the study of change over the long term. In order to make good decisions about the present and the future it is wise to understand the patterns of before. Jim’s career has epitomised this and I hope the conference will help the rest of us as we endeavour to live thoughtfully and wisely in the places that we are."

Professor Jim Hunter said:

"Fifty years on from the publication of ‘The Making of the Crofting Community’, it’s been humbling to hear so many historians and others speak about my book and to hear, too, how the themes I tried to open up continue to be engaged with, so productively. And as someone who’s always been optimistic about the Highland future, it’s been equally good to hear about the many communities taking charge of what’s around them. I wish them all well."

The conference was supported by Past & Present, the Historical Geography Research Group and the UHI Humanities and Arts Research Cluster (HARC).