Lectures and Events for 2009

Dr. Fiona Stafford of the University of Oxford gave the Centre's inaugural lecture on 21 July 2007, 'A Centre in the Breast: Robert Burns and Happiness'. It was the first of four major lectures in the first year of the Centre's life.

Other lectures given in the Centre's first year were given by Dr. Kenneth Simpson (Honorary Professor of Burns Studies in the Centre), Professor Murray Pittock (Bradley Professor of English Literature at the University of Glasgow) and Professor R.D.S. Jack (formerly University of Edinburgh).

In 2009, the Centre hosted a major three-day international conference from 15-17 January, 'Robert Burns, 1759 to 2009', the first major Burns event in the year of Homecoming. Scholars and Burnsians from around the world presented over sixty papers on all aspects of Burns's life and work. An overview of the conference can be found at the conference webpage.

Academics from the Centre for Robert Burns Studies also presented papers as part of a series of lectures held by the Mitchell library between April and October 2009.

Further international events of academic interest in Robert Burns during his 250th anniversary year took place all over the world, and more information can be found at the Global Burns Network.