Written by: Lisa Doyle Sexual relations between men are amongst the most remarked upon features of ancient Greek society. It is indeed prevalent in the various sources we have for this period, including literary and visual. Although much of the scholarship and research on this subject uses the term ‘homosexuality’ to describe these relationships, this modern terminology is not strictly applicable to the ancient Greek … Continue reading ‘Homosexuality’ in Ancient Greece

Written by: Carissa Chew The ‘Strike for Freedom’ treasures exhibition, displayed at the National Library of Scotland from 4 October 2018 to 16 February 2019 in commemoration of the 200 year anniversary of Frederick Douglass’s birth, celebrates the life and work of one of the most renowned black American abolitionists and his historic connections to the Scottish capital. Frederick Douglass (c.1818-1895), who escaped slavery in … Continue reading ‘Strike for Freedom’: Frederick Douglass, Scotland, and the Slave Trade

Written by: Martha Stutchbury John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) is a man whose lasting influence on the Western liberal tradition cannot be overstated. He is recognised for attempting to reconcile utilitarianism – the political philosophy which notoriously prioritises ‘majority rule’ over the individual, with self-governance and individual rights. He is perhaps most famous within academic circles for articulating the ‘harm principle’, an argument for near-absolute freedom … Continue reading A Look at the Life of John Stuart Mill

Written by: Scarlett Butler In a recent interview Emily Weiss, the CEO of the successful new beauty brand Glossier, said that her business was both a beauty and a tech company. Weiss emphasised the company’s innovative use of social media to involve their (primarily female) customers in design, product development and promotion. Despite their technological leaning, Glossier sits in a longer legacy of effortless cool … Continue reading Making Beauty History with Glossier

Written by: Josh Minister In the summer of 1944, a woman, unknown to many, stood out from the misery and suffering of those about to enter the barracks at Auschwitz. Her pale skin and bright blue eyes indicated that she was not Jewish. She had been transported from a holding camp in Budapest to Auschwitz where she died, supposedly of ‘cachexia following intestinal catarrh,’ however, it … Continue reading Jane Haining: The Only Scot to Die in Auschwitz

Written by: Martha Stutchbury In 1921, the British combined three Mesopotamian vilayets (districts) into statehood under King Faisal I, establishing the geo-political territory that we recognise as present-day Iraq. This article briefly considers the ethnically and religiously diverse composition of Iraq in 1921, and the subsequent attempts of British and Iraqi authorities to engender a national identity amongst the divided population. Guiditta Fontana claims that … Continue reading The Artificial Construction of Iraq