"We're all part of the continent United Kingdom now"

One of the world's largest libraries has reversed a controversial decision to reclassify Scots authors as English.

Good sensational opener, but not an entirely factual one; the original proposal was to classify "Scottish Literature" and over 40 Scottish subjects under three headings:

English Literature - Scottish Authors,
Dialect Literature - Scottish,
and Scotland - Literatures.

So, despite the nationalist hype indicating the contrary,the various authors would have been graciously allowed by the US Congress Library to remain Scottish...

...of course, the whole storm in a tea-cup could have been avoided by having all writers from the UK simply reclassified as "British".

While I leave that comment up for debate, there was an another line by the SNP’s Culture Minister, Linda Fabiani, that I was wondering about:

"I am delighted that the Library of Congress has listened to our concerns and recognised the distinctive nature of Scottish literature," she said.

'Distinctive nature'

"In fact I recently discussed this with Congressman McIntyre of the Friends of Scotland Caucus to make our position clear.

"I am sure this will help those exploring the wealth and wonders of Scottish literature while properly acknowledging our nation's great contribution over the years and the success of modern day writers."

OK, there is obviously certain "location-specific" literature and poetry which could only have come from Scotland, England, Northern Ireland or Wales.

But especially today when we're living in a globalised mass-media age, with most of our popular culture being dictated to us anyway from across the Atlantic and with all of us now part a truly multi-ethnic and cultural United Kingdom- is it really still that important which part of our nation an author or poet has been born in?

Is it even possible any longer to differentiate most of British contemporary writing between "Scottish" or "English" literature, "Northern Irish" or "Welsh" poetry?