Category: Academic
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Elena Ferrante and the History of the Italian Language
Written by Ruth Cullen. What is the significance of using either the local dialect or the school-taught standard? Using the account of Neopolitan bilingualism from Elena Ferrante’s acclaimed novel ‘My Brilliant Friend’ as a starting point, Ruth Cullen discusses the history of the formation of modern standard Italian and its complex social relationship with the enduring local languages and dialects of the country.
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Understanding Afropolitanism
Written by Megan Sickmueller. The term ‘Afropolitan’ can be traced back to a 2005 article by Taiye Tuakli-Wosornu. But what does it mean today? And how has it helped broaden the idea of what it means to be African?
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An Lushan and the Fall of China’s Golden Age
Written by Kat Jivkova. The Tang period witnessed an incredible cultural blossoming amidst the pre-modern imperial magnificence, but what proved to be the cause of smouldering away?
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‘Black Terror’: Black Masculinity and Identity Formation in Eighteenth-Century England
Written by Boryana Ivanova. Through employing a ‘history from below’ approach, Boryana Ivanova examines the notions of Black British identity and masculinity in Early Modern History, highlighting the historiographical shortcomings that have plagued the discipline.
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The Osteological Paradox and Biomolecular Analysis – A Solution, At Last?
Written by Etta Coleman. The discipline of Osteoarchaeology is paradoxical by nature – those diseases which sweep populations are often too quick to leave a permanent mark on the bones. Etta Coleman discusses whether this is something that can be overcome with Polymerase Chain Reaction testing.
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Should we be Applying the Term “Religion” to Ancient Societies?
Written by Kavisha Kamalanathan. Is justifiable to project the term “religion” backwards to ancient societies? Kavisha Kamalanathan discusses the nuances of ancient Greek and Roman belief systems, their relation to nature, society and the state, pointing to them being in many crucial ways fundamentally different from our modern notions of religion.
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The King, the Colony and the Case of Patrice Lumumba
Written by Megan Sickmueller. A haunting legacy of King Leopold II of Belgium in the Congo, Megan Sickmueller tracks the country’s recent history and the fall of Patrice Lumumba.
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Leonhard Euler and the Russian Connection
Written by Kat Jivkova. Leonhard Euler was in his own time recognised as the most distinguished mathematician of the eighteenth century, though certain circumstances of his life have brushed aside. Kat Jivkova discusses his deep connection to St. Petersburg, a site of his scientific achievements and eventual home.
Retrospect Journal 