News

September 2012

Dr Kenefick consultant for BBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?"

Dr Billy Kenefick was involved in a recent episode of the popular BBC television programme "Who Do You Think You Are?"  He was consulted as a leading expert on modern Scottish labour and political history for an episode of the programme that explored the family history of the singer Annie Lennox.  Excerpts from Dr Kenefick's contribution and his conversations with Annie Lennox can be viewed here on the programme's website:  http://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/footage/13799

June 2012

Scottish Policing History Website Launched.

A new website devoted to the history of Scottish policing has been launched at Dundee.

The website has been developed in connection with a research network project on Crime and Policing in Scotland: Past and Present led by Dr Murray Frame and Dr Anja Johansen (from the History Programme in the School of Humanities) and Professor Nick Fyfe (Director of the Scottish Institute for Policing Research).  The project is funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

The project website will be used primarily for three main things: (1) podcasts of project workshops, (2) a database of research material for the study of Scottish policing history, and (3) an online version of an exhibition on Scottish policing history that will launch in Dundee in spring 2013.

Click here to view the website: http://blog.dundee.ac.uk/scottishpolicinghistory

 

University Teaching Awards for History

Dr Billy Kenefick has been recognised by the Dundee University Student Union for his contribution to teaching.  At a recent ceremony, Dr Kenefick received this year’s Student-Led Teaching Award for Best Teacher for Assessment and Feedback 2012.

Mr Blair Smith, a History PhD student also won an award for Best Postgraduate Teacher.

 

 

April 2012

Surveillance, Technology and Policing

Dr Murray Frame and Dr Anja Johansen were involved in a recent conference on ‘Surveillance, Technology and Policing: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives’ held at the University of Dundee on 30th April 2012.

The conference was the second in a series of events funded by a Royal Society of Edinburgh Arts & Humanities Network Award on the theme of Crime and Policing in Scotland: Past and Present.  The network provides a forum for historians and other researchers to engage with criminal justice practitioners in Scotland, in order to share and enhance mutual knowledge and research agendas.  The project is organised by Dr Frame, Professor Nicholas Fyfe (Director of the Scottish Institute for Policing Research), and Dr Johansen.  Other collaborators include the Scottish Police College and the McManus Gallery.

Further information about the recent conference can be found at the project website: 

http://blog.dundee.ac.uk/scottishpolicinghistory/

Public Lecture

La Mamma. The Invention of a Stereotype

Marina d'Amelia (University of Rome, La Sapienza) in conversation with Chiara Saraceno (Wissenshaftszentrum Berlin fur Sozialforschung)

6pm Thursday 3 May 2012

University of Dundee, Tower Building, Baxter 1.36

This lecture is part of the Scottish Modern Italy Lecture Series 2011-12, sponsored by the University of Dundee, the University of Glasgow, the University of Strathclyde and the Association for the Study of Modern Italy

For further information please contact Perry Willson (p.r.willson@dundee.ac.uk)

March 2012

The Wodrow Project

The Wodrow Project is the new website for a three-year research project on the Scottish historian Robert Wodrow (1679-1734), best known for his History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland (1721-2).  The project, funded by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences, involves postdoctoral fellow Dr Kathleen Middleton and Professor Chris Whatley, along with Dr Crawford Gribben of Trinity College Dublin.  The website features extracts from Wodrow's History and manuscript collections and a chronological index to his correspondence.

Website: www.wodrowproject.net.

February 2012

Dundee Professor’s Book Debated in Parliament Library

On 12 January 2012 a public debate on Italiane. Biografia del Novecento (Laterza, 2011), Professor Perry Willson’s recently published book, was held in the Sala del Refettorio in the Italian Chamber of Deputies (Rome). Hosted by the Fondazione Nilde Jotti (http://www.fondazionenildeiotti.it/), the book was discussed by an authoritative panel of prominent journalist Paolo Mieli (Director of RCS Libri), historian Marina d’Amelia (University of Rome, La Sapienza) and philosopher and former parliamentarian Claudia Mancina (University of Rome, La Sapienza). The debate, chaired by Senator Livia Turco, attracted a large audience.

Arts and Humanities Research Council Award

Dundee Professor Perry Willson (together with Dr Penelope Morris of the University of Glasgow) has won an AHRC Networks grant to stage a series of workshops on the theme La Mamma: Investigating a National Stereotype. The interdisciplinary workshops will explore representations of Italian mothers both inItaly and abroad.

The first workshop, on representations of maternity in Italy1861-1945, will be held in Dundee in May 2012. For more information see the project website at: http://lamammaitaliana.wordpress.com/

December 2011

National Student Survey 2011

The University of Dundee History Programme achieved outstanding results for overall satisfaction with their courses in the 2011 National Student Survey. This was among the highest overall score in all Scottish and other comparator institutions. In the vast majority of the other categories, Dundee History scored well above average. This is yet another strong yearly return from the National Student Survey demonstrating a rich and fulfilling undergraduate experience at the University of Dundee.

November 2011

Dundee Historian's Book Shortlisted for Major Research Prize

The History of the Scottish Parliament, Volume 3: Parliament in Context 1235-1707, jointly edited by Alan MacDonald, History, University of Dundee and Keith Brown, University of Manchester has been shortlisted for the 2011 Saltire Society/National Library of Scottish Research Book of the Year award. This is awarded to a book with a Scottish focus, from across the whole spectrum of research disciplines.

Police Governance and Accountability Conference

Dr Murray Frame and Dr Anja Johansen contributed to a recent conference on ‘Police Governance and Accountability in Comparative Perspective: Centralism, Localism and Democratic Policing’, held at the Royal Society of Edinburgh on 4th November 2011.

The conference was the first in a series of events funded by a Royal Society of Edinburgh Arts & Humanities Network Award on the theme of Crime and Policing inScotland: Past and Present.  The network provides a forum for historians and other researchers to engage with criminal justice practitioners inScotland, in order to share and enhance mutual knowledge and research agendas.  The project is organised by Dr Frame, Professor Nicholas Fyfe (Director of the Scottish Institute for Policing Research), and Dr Johansen.  Other collaborators include theScottishPoliceCollegeand the McManus Gallery.

Further information about the recent conference can be found at:  www.sipr.ac.uk/events/RSE041111.php

June 2011

Plants and History Event

To introduce a new poster exhibition on the theme of “Plants and History”, the Botanic Garden and the Department of History at the University of Dundee present three talks followed by a Drinks Reception. Find out more information download the Plants and History poster

May 2011

Dundee History postgraduate joins new national Steering Group

Dundee History postgraduate student Eddie Small, who is carrying out research on the history of death and bereavement in Scotland, has been invited by the Scottish Government to participate in a new Steering (Stakeholders) Group, which is being organized by the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care.   The aim of the new Steering Group is ‘to raise public awareness and promote community involvement in the issues of death, dying and bereavement across central and local   government and appropriate agencies and organisations in all sectors of Scotland’s society’.  Eddie is the only academic researcher in a team that involves representatives from many different sectors of society, including national and local government, social services, and the media.

Arts & Humanities Network Award

The Royal Society of Edinburgh has awarded the History Programme an Arts & Humanities Network Award for a project on ‘Crime and Policing: Past and Present’. The project is a collaboration between Dr Frame, Dr Johansen, and the Scottish Institute for Policing Research (based at the University of Dundee). The purpose of the network is to provide a forum for historians and academics from other disciplines to engage with crime and policing professionals, with a view to sharing and enhancing mutual knowledge and research agendas. An exhibition is also planned, in collaboration with McManus Galleries.

Commenting upon the news, Dr Murray Frame said: ‘This award presents us with an exciting opportunity to collaborate with other public bodies, and to explore how the history of crime and policing is directly relevant to vital contemporary issues and to future policy development in Scotland.’

Italian television programme devoted to Dundee professor’s book

On 22 April 2011 an episode of the long-running and highly respected book programme Le storie – diario italiano, presented by Corrado Augias on the Raitre state television channel, was devoted to a recently published book by Dundee professor Perry Willson (History Programme, Humanities). The programme combined documentary footage about the role of women in twentieth-century Italy (the theme of the book) with an interview with the author. The book, entitled Italiane. Biografia del Novecento, (Laterza editori, 2011) was also launched by three leading journalists at the Libri come book festival in Rome and presentations (where the book was debated by panels of academics and politicians) were also held during April in various other Italian cities.

Book launch for Jute no More: Transforming Dundee

 Jute no More was launched before an audience of approximately 200 on Thursday 10th March.

Several of the contributors summarised key themes of the book. Rob Duck placed the city in its key physical context of the River Tay, Gordon Stewart explored the links with Calcutta, Matthew Jarron spoke about the often ignored rich musical and artistic culture of the city.

Valerie Wright addressed some of the myths as well as the truths about women’s role in the city.

Jim Tomlinson argued that the ‘Three D’s’ of de-globalization, de-industrialization and democratisation summarised much of the city’s twentieth century history.

April 2011

Scottish Modern Italy Lecture Series comes to Dundee

On 19 May 2011 the History Programme at Dundee will be hosting a lecture organised as part of the Scottish Modern Italy Lecture Series.
 
Claudia Baldoli (Newcastle University)
'The Construction of "Little Italies" in Britain and Germany in the 1930s'.
Time: 6pm. Venue: Room 2F15, Dalhousie Building, Old Hawkhill.
This event is free and all members of the public are welcome.
 
Dr Baldoli is a specialist on modern Italian history. Her numerous publications include Exporting Fascism : Italian Fascists and Britain’s Italians in the 1930s, 2003;  A History of Italy, 2009 and (with A.Knapp) Forgotten Blitzes: Italy and France under Allied Air Attack, 1940-1945, (forthcoming, 2011).
 
For any enquiries about this event please contact Professor Perry Willson p.r.willson@dundee.ac.uk.

CALL FOR PAPERS - Conference on Modern British History

A conference on Modern British History at the University of Dundee on 16-17 June 2011. More Information...  

Leverhulme Success For Dr Macdonald

The Leverhulme Trust has awarded the University of Dundee £22,495 for a project investigating the potential of seventeenth-century church records for climate history, led by Dr Alan MacDonald.  The hypothesis of the project is that church records contain evidence of severe weather events (disrupting weekly meetings) and drought or prolonged rainfall (causing dearth and increased demand for poor-relief).  The project has the potential to extend existing data on climate history and enhance understanding of long-term weather patterns.The Leverhulme Trust has awarded the University of Dundee £22,495 for a project investigating the potential of seventeenth-century church records for climate history, led by Dr Alan MacDonald. The hypothesis of the project is that church records contain evidence of severe weather events (disrupting weekly meetings) and drought or prolonged rainfall (causing dearth and increased demand for poor-relief). The project has the potential to extend existing data on climate history and enhance understanding of long-term weather patterns.

Bursary

2 March 2011

 Applications are invited for a PhD studentship/Graduate Teaching Assistantship in modern or early modern European History, with a value of £12,000 per annum bursary plus a fee waiver (at UK/EU rate). The successful candidate will be enrolled in the European Doctorate in Gender History in which Dundee is a partner institution.

Visiting Leverhulme Professor for History

2 February 2011

The History Programme is delighted to welcome Professor Gordon Stewart as a prestigious Visiting Leverhulme Professor at Dundee. Professor Stewart is the Jack and Margaret Sweet Professor of History at Michigan State University. A native of Dundee, he is a highly distinguished historian. He has written widely on North American History, and most recently has published seminal work on the relationship between Scotland and Britain and South Asia. His publications include Jute and Empire. The Calcutta Jute Wallahs and the Landscapes of Empire (1998) and Journeys to Empire: Enlightenment, Imperialism and the British Encounter with Tibet, 1774-1904 (2009). During his time as Visiting Leverhulme Professor at Dundee, in addition to carrying out research and contributing to the History Programme’s activities, Professor Stewart will be delivering several keynote public lectures on Dundee, Empire, and Global History, the full details of which will be announced shortly.

Prestigious award for Dr Van Ittersum

2 February 2011

Congratulations to Dr. Martine van Ittersum who has been awarded an Erasmus Lectureship on the History and Civilization of The Netherlands and Flanders by Harvard University. History Research Online

Crime and Policing: Past and Present Workshop

2 February 2011

  The History Programme recently co-sponsored a one-day Knowledge Exchange Workshop on Crime and Policing: Past and Present with the Scottish Institute for Policing Research (SIPR) at the University of Dundee. This was the first in a planned series of events intended to provide a unique forum for historians and other academics to engage with crime and policing professionals, with the aim of sharing and enhancing mutual knowledge and research agendas.