Retrospect
Journal.

EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY'S HISTORY, CLASSICS AND ARCHAEOLOGY MAGAZINE

Blog: https://retrospectjournal.com/
Profile: https://retrospectjournal.com/author/retrospectsubmissions/

Auschwitz: A Place Out of Time

Auschwitz is a place that forces us to confront the horrors of the past. Oscar Virdee describes his experience visiting.
The Cottingley Fairies and the Spiritualist Movement

The hoax of the Cottingley Fairies continues to hold a grip on many today. Fleur O’Reilly takes a look at their impact in the direct aftermath of the First World War.
My Favourite Inaccuracies in The CW’s Reign

The CW’s Reign is packed with amusing historical inaccuracies as it presents a fictionalised version of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. Marnie Camping-Harris reveals her favourite inaccuracies and why they make the series more enjoyable.
Lilith: The First Woman

Lilith, often depicted as a demonic figure in folklore and literature, is being re-evaluated in light of feminist discourse for her assertion of equality with Adam, Maddie Everett-Heath explores her transforming image, from feared demoness to a symbol of sexual power and confidence.
‘Poor is Cool’: What Pulp’s ‘Common People’ has to do with Hermitages and the Great British Garden

Megan Crutchley discusses the trope of working-class tourism, highlighting its origins in 18th century British practice of “Hermitages” for the elite to experience simplified, nature-bound lives. The tradition masked and glamorized the realities of working-class struggles.
Genghis Khan, the ‘Defender of Religion’: an Exploration of Religious Tolerance in the Mongol Empire

Poppy Williams explores whether Mongol Ruler Genghis Khan can truly be considered a ‘Defender of Religion.’
The Strange History of X-Ray Music in the Soviet Union

Black markets throughout the Soviet Union were no stranger to selling western goods. But perhaps the most creative way to smuggle western music into the USSR was through the repurposing of X-Rays for vinyl records. Sally Dolphin explores the unique history of ‘bone music’ in the Soviet Union and how the craft help spread prohibited…
How the Napoleonic Wars triggered a rise in and changed the nature of European Nationalism

The rise of nationalism is central to modern political history. Finlay Drummond-Cormack discusses the role of the Napoleonic Wars in fostering nationalist sentiment across early 19th century Europe.