Credit: Madeleine Baker
Writer
The University of Glasgow is hosting a free programme of lectures, interviews, and panel discussions focused on the transformation of Scottish history over the past 50 years.
Convened by Dr Catriona MacDonald and Dr Stephen Mullen of the University, Historical Conversations will feature prominent historians and researchers who have revolutionised the discipline and, through their works, changed the way Scotland views itself.
Open to the public, the talks will be a chance for those interested to hear from leading practitioners in the field, the challenges they have faced, and their hopes for the future.
They will be held in Kelvin Hall, with 11 events set to feature in the programme, exploring a range of topics such as Scotland’s literature, its empire and diaspora, and its Highland and gender histories.
Dr MacDonald, a Reader in late modern Scottish history, said of the programme: “We want to learn what motivated these men and women to write books which changed the way Scotland looked at itself, arguably encouraging a renewed confidence and sense of where we fit in the world.”
“This is the generation that wrote a new type of history book – one that was scholarly yet very readable. They took history from the niche bookshelves to the mainstream, with many of them appearing on the bestseller list.”
“This major history series will also create an amazing archive for future generations – the testimony of historians and archivists themselves will become a major historical resource for those studying in this field in the future.”
Research associate of the University, Dr Mullen, added: “We have seen the emergence in the past decade of the historian as a storyteller.”
“They have helped us to look at Scotland differently by focusing on history through the stories of people who were involved and where we as Scots fit on the world stage.”
“This series is very important for us working in this field to ensure we capture the stories of our leading historians and archivists for posterity.”
The series is to be available online, recorded and curated by the University Library.
The first of the events began on 19 September, and the second, a panel on Medieval Scotland, will take place on 10 October.
All talks will be held from 5:30-7:30pm in the 2017-2018 academic term, and are supported by the Chancellor’s Fund of the University of Glasgow and the Tannahill Fund, in association with the Centre For Scottish and Celtic Studies, Glasgow University Library and the Hunterian Museum.
Tickets and information can be found at
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/historical-conversations-tickets-36636178797
