Category: Features
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Auld Reekie Riots: The Story of Captain Porteous
Written by Amy Hendrie. Captain John Porteous represented to Edinburgh’s underclasses a distinct inequality of treatment by the ruling elite. But how did the public reaction align with the crime?, And why were his actions so controversial?
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The Power of Publishing: In Conversation with Professor Kara Cooney
For our Welcome Week 2021 event, Retrospect was joined by Professor Kara Cooney to discuss publishing, power and her latest book, ‘The Good Kings: Absolute Power in Ancient Egypt and the Modern World’.
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The Simple History: #Cottagecore, Pastoral Arcadia and Marie Antoinette
Written by Melissa Kane. The current cultural fascination with #Cottagecore, encompassed by a rural idyll shared on social media websites, is rooted in a long history of romanticised escapism. But where did this start? And how does Marie Antoinette play a role in Cottagecore?
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Cinema in the Age of Obama
Written by Jess Womack. Trends within film largely mirror trends within society, mirroring political and social feeling. This can especially be seen within the ‘Obama-era’ and beyond, where historical fiction exploring the racial past of the US became popular.
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John Williams and the Revival of Classical Music in Star Wars
Written by Kat Jivkova. For many Star Wars fans, John Williams’ musical scores continue to evoke a deep nostalgia. Where did his ideas come from? How do his compositions fit within the broader history of film music?
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History in the Contemporary: The Historian, Public Memory, and Historical Figures
The first of our ‘In Collaboration’ pieces, Retrospect committee members look at the concept of history in the contemporary, questioning recent debates on historical practice and questions at the forefront of public historical consciousness.
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Redefining Humanity: Political Philosophy in African British Anti-Slavery Literature
Written by Charlie Horlick. Ottobah Cugoano’s writing has been typically framed as a slave narrative, yet it is perhaps more than that. Part political economy, part meditation on morality, it should be integrated into the canon of eighteenth-century philosophy.
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Kellogg v. Kellogg: The Battle for America’s Breakfast
Written by Alden Hill. The foundation of Kelloggs was highly contested. From a fraternal schism to a crusade for better health, the journey to become one of “the Big Three” of US cereals was a bumpy one.
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