Dr. Iain MacKinnon
Iain MacKinnon’s interest in the cultural practices and belief systems of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland have led him to study and contribute to political discussion on the politics of land and knowledge in the area. In addition to his academic publications he has contributed to a range of media on aspects of the area’s history and culture – particularly in relation to land governance and indigenous knowledge.
He was co-author of a critical micro-study of crofting land tenure in the Highlands and Islands. This study helped to shape subsequent Scottish Government legislation on the topic. His previous work has also included project management, political advocacy, media relations, editing and helping to organise a study-tour on community development in the Hebrides for Government planners from the Papua Province, Indonesia.
A key aspect of current work being prepared for publication is an analysis of the Highlands and Islands as a site of historical colonisation. He believes that understanding the area’s longstanding and underlying imperial power relations and concomitant attitudes may be vital to properly understand and negotiate political contestation in the Highlands and Islands today.
- MacKinnon, I. [Forthcoming] ‘Scottish Case Study’. in Hungry for Rights – Global Issues, Local Solutions. ed by MacKinnon, I. Milan: ACRA.
- MacKinnon, I. (ed) [Forthcoming] Hungry for Rights – Global Issues, Local Solutions; A collection of case studies for the EU funded project ‘Hungry for Rights: Global Learning from Local Solutions in Alternative Food Systems’. ACRA.
- MacKinnon, I. (2013) ‘Large Scale Solidarity’ Closer (published by Bella Caledonia).
- MacKinnon, I., Brennan, R., and Hurrel, S. (2012) Dùthchas na mara/Dúchas na mara/Belonging to the sea. Exploring the cultural roots of maritime conflict on Gaelic speaking islands in Scotland and Ireland. Scotland: SCF and the Scottish Association for Marine Science.
- Saponaro, M.L., and MacKinnon, I. (eds) (2012) Farmers Rights In Practice – synthesis of the case studies on sustainable use of agrobiodiversity. ACRA. With - Bocci, R., Franciollini, R., and MacKinnon, I. (eds.) (2012) Farmers Rights In Practice – synthesis of the case studies on sustainable use of agrobiodiversity. ACRA.
- MacKinnon, I. (2012) ‘Education for life: human ecology pedagogy as a bridge to indigenous knowing’. in Radical Human Ecology. Intercultural and Indigenous Approaches. ed. by Williams, L., Roberts, R., and McIntosh, A. Surrey: Ashgate, 139-159.
- Campbell, L., and MacKinnon, I. (2010) ‘‘Isteach chun an Oileáin’. Reflections on Community Mapping’. Anthropological Journal of European Cultures 19 (2), 97-108.
- MacKinnon, I., and Walker, S. (2009) ‘The State of Crofting in Camuscross’. (Response to the debate over the government’s proposals for crofting reform).
