Author: Retrospect Journal
-
Henry VIII: The Spare Who Changed History
Whilst the phrase “spare to the heir” has dominated headlines in recent months, it is an appellation which also overshadowed the early years of the future King Henry VIII. Naomi Wallace discusses the events that shaped the monarch, and the history of England.
-
Book Review – Parreñas, Rhacel. 2011. Illicit Flirtations: Labor, Migration, and Sex Trafficking in Tokyo. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
Rhacel Parreñas’ 2011 text, “Illicit Flirtations: Labor, Migration, and Sex Trafficking in Tokyo”, seeks to examine the misconceptions surrounding the Filipina hostesses of Japan whose livelihood came under global scrutiny through the US-led anti-trafficking campaign. Rosie Inwald discusses Parreñas’ work and the issues with a top-down perspective on the agency of these women.
-
The Ford Nucleon: Petrol Omission to Nuclear Fission
In 1958, Ford unveiled the Nucleon: a car which eschewed the traditional combustion engine in favour of a small nuclear reactor. Sam Marks explores this product of the 1950s Atomic Age which, perhaps unsurprisingly, did not develop beyond the concept stage.
-
Funding the Arts in Ancient Athens
The Dionysia, a festival in ancient Athens on honour of the god Dionysus, featured plays sponsored by choregoi: wealthy citizens who financed the performance in exchange for social prestige. Fiona MacRae explores how the benefaction model of ancient Athens might be the key to saving the performing arts today.
-
Book Review – Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence
R. F. Kuang’s 2022 novel, “Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence”, holds a critical lens to the British Empire, examining the atrocities perpetuated by academic institutions. Naomi Wallace discusses Kuang’s work which combines fantasy with a powerful critique of imperialism, set in nineteenth-century Oxford.
-
NEVER AGAIN: Reflecting on Illegal Abortions in the US Fifty Years on From Roe v Wade
In April 1973, the Supreme Court ruling Roe v Wade granted the constitutional right to choose an abortion. In June 2022, this landmark ruling was overturned. By examining the situation in the US prior to 1973, Naomi Wallace discusses how history can reveal its devastating impact.
-
Revealing Royal Jewellery: The Chequers Ring
Once belonging to Queen Elizabeth I, the Chequers Ring has prompted intrigue – not least concerning the identity of the woman whose portrait sits alongside the monarch. Naomi Wallace discusses the theories surrounding this captivating piece.
-
The Photoplayer: An Everything Instrument
Produced during the height of the silent film era, the photoplayer allowed accompanying music to be played automatically through its piano and percussion instruments. Sam Marks discusses the history and engineering of this cinematic orchestrion.
Retrospect Journal 