Author: Retrospect Journal
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Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari: On the Origins of German Expressionist Cinema
Released in 1920, Robert Wiene’s “Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari” is widely considered to be a landmark example of German Expressionist cinema. Meenakshi Nirmalan digs deeper into its production and cultural significance during a politically turbulent time in German history.
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On the Need for Provocation: A Response to Solanas’ SCUM Manifesto (1968)
Valerie Solanas’ “SCUM Manifesto” was a call to arms for women to overthrow the male sex and establish a feminist utopia. However, her emphasis on violence led to polarisation – compounded by her shooting of Andy Warhol in 1968. Georgia Smith explores the discourse surrounding this infamous feminist work.
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The Brontë Sisters and the Importance of Women’s Education in the Nineteenth Century
In their personal lives as well as through their novels, the Brontë sisters challenged patriarchal norms surrounding a woman’s role in society. Isabelle Shaw examines the impact that their work has had on efforts for equal education in the nineteenth century and beyond.
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The Walker Expedition: Unmanifested Destiny
Written by Sam Marks. In the earliest years of its founding, the United States of America underwent rapid expansion, driven by filibusters who held the belief that such aggressive territorial acquisition was destined. Sam Marks explores the colonisation efforts of William Walker and the ensuing uprising against his regime.
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Little Freedoms: So-Called ‘Liberation’ in the Wake of the Black Death
Written by Ailsa Fraser. In the aftermath of the Black Death, a lower population allowed those at the lowest social strata to demand higher higher wages. But did this equate to greater liberation for the peasantry? Ailsa Fraser discusses the changing landscape of Britain and the legislations which impacted their lives.
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Exhibition Review – Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life
Written by Tristan Craig. Exploring the long, and at times bloody, history of medical practice, ‘Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life’ offers a fresh glimpse into the lives and minds of those who shaped the discipline. Tristan Craig discusses the National of Museum of Scotland’s latest exhibition and the enduring legacy of Edinburgh’s most infamous murderers.
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Material Dispossessions: References
Bibliographies and image references for the Retrospect Journal x Res Publica collaborative print edition, “Material Dispossessions.”
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The Use of Art as a Political Tool in Renaissance Italy
Written by Shea Ferguson. Whilst the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo have become household names as masters of the Italian Renaissance, the powerful patrons behind their private works are lesser known. Shea Ferguson explores how art became embroiled in the political sphere of fifteenth-century Italy, and what this meant for its players.
Retrospect Journal 