Ulster and North America addresses the complex issues of Scotch-Irish (or Ulster Scots) history and ethnic identity by viewing them from a transatlantic and comparative perspective. The eleven essays, originally presented at meetings of the Ulster-American Heritage Symposium by scholars from Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and the United States, address the nature of Scotch-Irish culture by examining values, traditions, demographics, and language.

This diverse collection emphasizes several themes: the dynamic nature of Ulster society in the 17th and 18th centuries, which shaped the motives for migration to the New World; the experience of migration, including the expectations and realities of life in the New World; and the development of economic strategies and community building in both Ulster and the New World. The book also provides a comprehensive discussion of the ongoing scholarly debates on ethnic identity and cultural diffusion.

The contributors to this volume approach their subject from a variety of disciplines, which emphasizes the diversity of the Scotch-Irish experience. New research presented in this volume illustrates the value of transatlantic dialogue and of comparative studies firmly based in local and regional studies for the understanding of ethnicity and migration history.

"For nearly two decades transatlantic scholars have been exchanging ideas at biennial symposia on the Ulster-American experience. This cross-fertilization of scholarship has borne fruit in the present volume of essays. Itmakes a worthy contribution to our understanding of the Scotch-Irish heritage in Southern Appalachia". -- John D. Fair Auburn University

"An invaluable contribution to the field of early American history.... For the most part, the history of Ulster Presbyterian settlement has been ignored by serious scholars and consigned to antiquarians and fileopietists. However, this work should firmly establish the importance of Scotch-Irish studies and stimulate more scholars to examine the migration and adaptation of a people who had such a crucial, formative influence on early American society and culture". -- Kerby A. Miller University of Missouri