Scotland in Europe. Europe in Scotland

Over the centuries the links between Scotland and Europe, not to mention the much wider world beyond the European continent, have had a varied history, with Scots emigrating to all corners of the globe and making a significant impact on the countries in which they have settled. At the same time, Scots at home, with their interest in the humanities and science and what lies beyond their own borders have given the world a great deal in discoveries, learning, culture and the arts, at the same time always being ready to learn, borrow from others, and take advantage of what could broaden their own horizons. The Scots in certain periods in the past formed a very significant presence outside their own home country, whereas in Scotland, education, culture and the arts developed and expanded also thanks to what was in constant flux just over their own border as well as further afield, in Europe particularly. Relations between the Scots and the European continent have always interwoven. The latter has always been a visible presence in Scotland whereas the Europeans have also never been indifferent to the Scots.[from Introduction]