2 Scottish Studies Newsletter, No. 40, Autumn 2012 Editors: Professor Dr. Horst W. Drescher, Lothar Görke, Professor Dr. Klaus Peter Müller, Ronald Walker Table of contents Editorial 3 New Scottish Poetry 4 Miriam Schröder, 65 Years of Passion for Literature – 5 The Scottish Universities' International Summer School Hanne Wiesner, My Edinburgh Experience: 6 English Courses at the University of Edinburgh Dominik J. Strauß, The Boy Who Trapped the Sun: 8 Talented Singer / Songwriter from the Outer Hebrides David S. Forsyth, Transforming a Victorian Vision: 9 Recreating the National Museum of Scotland for the Twenty-First Century (part 2) (New) Media on Scotland 11 Education Scotland 20 Scottish Award Winners 23 The Editors, Miriam Schröder, Ilka Schwittlinsky & Hanne Wiesner, 25 New Publications May – October 2012 Book Reviews Amy Blakeway on The Scottish Middle March, 1573 - 1625; 37 Steve Gardham on The Ballad Repertoire of Anna Gordon; 40 Klaus Peter Müller on Social Justice and Social Policy in Scotland 43 Conference Report (Ron Walker on 'Crime Scotland', Göttingen 2012) 54 Conference Announcements 57 Scottish Studies Newsletter 40, November 2012 3 Editorial Dear Subscriber / Reader, The SNP has now got another two years left to convince the Scots that independence would be better for them than what they have at the moment. This will not be easy. Human beings generally prefer to stay where they are and what they are, especially when they are not sure that a radical change will really bring improvements. And not only Ian Rankin thinks that Scots basically abhor change. Sociologists, economists, many people working in the social services, investigating social policy, and the social, economic, and political situation in Scot- land, however, claim that there is an urgent need for radical changes. (Cf. the review of the book Social Justice below and the Rankin source there.) Many people in other countries felt this need in connection with the disastrous financial crisis in 2008. Politicians promised changes then, but they are nowhere visible. Visible, however, are people suffering from huge budget cuts and austerity measures that are applied with the intention of reducing the tremen- dous deficits piled up by both irresponsible politicians and greedy bankers. What has the Scottish referendum got to do with this? Very much, once the 2014 event is seen in these and other relevant contexts. This is precisely what the 2013 conference 'Scotland 2014: Coming of Age and Loss of Innocence?' wants to do. It will investigate the referendum in all of its momentous dimensions. For this purpose, speakers from all relevant areas of soci- ety have been invited, in order to address this topic from their point of view and in this way help to create a fairly comprehensive survey of ideas, opinions, and evaluations. A holistic understanding is not instantly created in this way, but it is ultimately intended. What can at least be achieved is an interdisciplinary view of the situation Scotland is now in. And that can only be constructive. One small but relevant indication of the broad view offered by the con- ference is the inclusion of at least two people from the arts in these discussions, from which they are too often excluded. The participants and the areas they speak from will soon be an- nounced on the conference website, where further information is already available. What the referendum and the discussions about it really need to address from now on was wonderfully expressed by Ian Bell of the Herald, who not only declared that public statements and articles in the media must abandon narrow party perspectives, but also pointed out how much more is at the heart of the matter: "The point at issue, the real meaning of the 2014 question, whatever the words, is independence of mind. For or against? The rest is pernicious chatter." (http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/columnists/at-last-its-time-to-get-down- to-the-heart-of-the-matter.18778208) He could not have described both the core problem of 2014 and the intention of the 2013 conference in a better way. That is why we would very much like to have Ian Bell as a speaker at the conference. If you can help us get into contact with him and one or two other equally good journalists, we would be grateful. One or two politicians are also still wanted for this event. And, as it says at the conference website, we'd be grateful for any further suggestions. So, indeed, very much still needs to be done, and good results can be achieved only with the support of a community that is certain about its objectives. The objectives of Scottish Studies are an enhancement of knowledge and understanding of Scottish affairs. Your support in this endeavour has been excellent, and we are looking forward to hearing more from you. The Editors Professor Dr. Horst W. Drescher – Lothar Görke – Professor Dr. Klaus Peter Müller – Ron Walker November 2012 Scottish Studies Newsletter 40, November 2012 4 New Scottish Poetry The poem below is from Rug of a Thousand Colours, a bilingual collection of poetry in Eng- lish and Arabic by Scottish poet and founder of the Scottish Poetry Library, Tessa Ransford, and Iyad Hayatleh, a Palestinian poet from Syria, who now lives in Scotland. The poems represent a conversation between the two poets, a dialogue between their languages and cul- tures, and take their inspiration from the Five Pillars of Islam. One of these pillars, pilgrim- age, is the inspiration for this poem. Pilgrimage by Tessa Ransford I saw the Canterbury Pilgrims in procession, tongues wagging with their tales, a pellmell people‟s holiday excursion along with dogs and horses, all and sundry there, not sure they want to know each other well but forced to get along the road together, just that painted crowd, that April morning. And so with me. I have no other chance and need to make my journey from this place this crowd of witnesses around me this century and season these rules and these conditions for the trip. As pilgrims we sleep after each day‟s advance and shelter as best we may, no thought for the morrow except to keep in the right direction. We jest and talk. We have come far and must go forward each day not waiting for what befalls. The temple dream is granted to those who dare to wait and wait in the dark while, hardly discernible, an image lies ahead: the great winged shrine to which we‟re all enthralled. That shade of death is present in my childhood disease and dynamite on either hand. Progress does not describe my journey winding round and each ordeal repeated: Despond again, the Hill to climb, another and always another with racket of fireworks, Vanity Fair recurring. When Faithful dies, as I let him, and Hope scarcely abides without that friend; when Despair imprisons and Promise is no sure key of release, I creep back and find old tales – of love of love of love of love. Not once in a lifetime this pilgrimage Scottish Studies Newsletter 40, November 2012 5 but simply my life. Now alone, yet in my own company, I desire the delectable mountains and wade through the river, yes, hands outstretched to the children without returning. From Rug of a Thousand Colours, (2012) by Tessa Ransford and Iyad Hayatleh, Luath Press. £8.99 [With thanks to the Scottish Poetry Library] 65 Years of Passion for Literature The Scottish Universities' International Summer School Miriam Schröder (Mainz/Germersheim) The Scottish Universities' International Summer School (SUISS) was founded in 1947 by the late Professor David Daiches in order to bring together students and scholars who, although they may differ widely in their cultural backgrounds, share one thing: a passion for literature. This year, too, as SUISS celebrates its 65th anniversary, this spirit remains unbroken. And so from 9th July till 18th August, students and scholars from all over the world came to Edinburgh to participate in SUISS, which today represents the following universities: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Strathclyde, St Andrews and the Open University in Scotland. This year's programme, Text and Context: British and Irish Literature from 1900 to the Present, comprised three self-contained two-week courses: Modernism, Scottish Literature, and Con- temporary Literature. In addition, SUISS offers a Creative Writing programme. I was fortunate to be awarded the Saltire Scholarship for Scottish Literature, which is funded by the Scottish Government and the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Strathclyde, Dundee, St. Andrews and Aberdeen. The scholarship covered the participation fee and accommodation for the Scottish Literature course and an additional study week. It was a great opportunity to visit Edinburgh, get involved in discussions about Scottish Literature, do research and meet scholars from all over the world. For the Scottish Literature course alone the 31 students came from 16 different countries, so class discussions and after-class conversations were always thought-provoking and helped to create a highly stimulating and vibrant atmosphere. A typical SUISS day starts off with a lecture in the morning, held by a professor or lecturer from one of the participating Scottish universities, in each case a distinguished critic or scholar in the field. During the short coffee break which follows the lecture, the students have time to discuss the contents of the lecture and approach the speaker with questions. The ideas gathered are carried into the seminars, where the topics and texts are discussed in smaller groups, led by a tutor and aided by short presentations from the students. The seminar groups, which hold about ten students each, provide ample opportunities to bounce ideas off each other and explore various themes, such as, in the case of the Scottish Literature course, what Scottishness means and how it is represented in twentieth century texts.