Category: Features
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The Séance Epidemic of Victorian Britain
The 1850s are considered a period of scientific advancement and rational-thinking in Victorian England. However, as Abbie Teal shows, there was also a growing trend of séances that led to greater discussions around spirituality and the ethereal.
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A Machiavellian Law
The Ummayyad Caliphate successfully expanded into Spain, changing the culture of the peninsula. Emilio Luppino discusses how the interactions between Christian, Muslim, and Jewish cultures in Spain.
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Who Do We study? Reflections on UK Human Remain Collections
The ownership of human remains in museums and institutions is an extremely sensitive and contentious topic, with many communities calling for the return of the remains of their ancestors. Michaela Hamman explores current repatriation debates and the role of UK institutions in looting these remains.
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The Life and Legacy of Sara Baartman
Sara Baartman was exhibited in France and England in the early-nineteenth century. To this day, she remains one of the most famous human ethnological exhibits. Olivia Norbury sensitively recounts Baartman’s life and legacy.
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‘A Worthy Son’? King Philip V of France
The issue of succession in medieval France was highly contentious. Harry Child evaluates the legacy of King Philip V of France, exploring his efforts towards domestic stability and successful foreign policy.
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The End of Radio Free Europe?
Radio Free Europe enabled thousands of citizens beyond the Iron Curtain to stay up to date with current affairs during the Cold War. With its potential end due to Trump’s administration, Olivia Hiskett delves into the station’s history.
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French Impressionism in Scotland: An Analysis of Before the Performance by Edgar Degas
Edgar Degas, a key figure in the Impressionist movement, shifted artistic focus from traditional scenes to urban leisure and ballet. Emily Jones considers how his work, Before the Performance, exemplifies this modern approach and reflects Scotland’s evolving art scene.
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Dancing Dissidents: The Soviet Culture of Ballet as a Form of Repression and Revolt
In the Soviet era, ballet served as a propaganda tool reflecting state ideology, suppressing artistic freedom while promoting Russian superiority. Kate Taylor discusses ballet’s defectors such as Nureyev and Baryshnikov to reveal how it was a tool which shaped West-USSR relations until 1991.
Retrospect Journal 