Heritage and History KE Case Studies

Waterloo Uncovered: supporting the well-being of serving personnel and veterans through participation in battlefield research

Professor Tony Pollard is academic lead for a team of archaeologists investigating the Battle of Waterloo. Selected serving Veterans and Serving Military Personnel (VSMP) transitioning to civilian life are participating in this investigative project, Waterloo Uncovered. Most are dealing with physical injury and/or mental health issues such as PTSD, and active participation in research involving conflict archaeology offers an educational and social experience delivering proven health and well-being benefits. Of 152 currently serving or veteran participants, many report life changes such as deciding to study archaeology, improvements to their well-being,and meeting their self-selected goals (reported by 81%).

Academic: Prof Tony Pollard

Partner: Waterloo Uncovered

To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

 

Transforming public understanding of the significance and legacy of slavery in Britain

College of Arts research has transformed public and institutional understanding of the impact of slavery and its legacy in British society. Through diverse activities including consultancy for cultural productions (radio and live plays, a film, musical compositions and radio documentaries), a graphic novel and other materials for all 367 Scottish state secondary schools, new insights have reached diverse communities. UofG became the first public UK institution to acknowledge its financial benefit from slavery, commissioning a historical research report that has shaped a programme of reparative justice. This sparked immense public interest and led the way, with support from Newman and Mullen, for five further UK HEIs to undertake similar actions.

Academic: Prof Simon Newman, Dr Stephen Mullen

Partner: Glasgow City Council, Education Scotland

 

To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

Transforming curatorial practice through the creation of an authoritative, accessible and transparent provenance resource

Accessible, verifiable provenance data is important for the commercial art world, museum professionals and provenance researchers, who need to trace an artefact from its time and place of origin through subsequent ownership. UofG provenance research focusing on Chinese art has underpinned key initiatives at the Smithsonian’s Freer-Sackler Galleries, and led to the creation of a unique online provenance database, publicly available worldwide. Holding one of the world’s most important Asian art collections, and the USA’s only national collection, the Freer-Sackler’s advances in provenance transparency are internationally influential. As a result, other provenance professionals and organisations are using the database as a ‘go to’ resource, and the model is already inspiring the creation of further such databases.

Project Partner: Freer-Sackler

Academic: Professor Nick Pearce


To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

Maximising the economic and cultural value of Robert Burns for Scotland

Research at the Centre for Robert Burns Studies (CRBS) has informed major policy and societal developments at both (1) governmental and (2) third-sector levels during the period 2014−2020. (1) CRBS produced a major report for the Scottish Government addressing the economic impact of Burns in the tourism, festivals, food and drink sectors, housing and other areas, which triggered a Scottish Parliamentary debate. The Report’s recommendations are now being implemented. (2) CRBS research, drawing on highly innovative technical methodologies, has underpinned expert advice to organisations with Burns holdings, e.g.National Records of Scotland, informing decisions on authenticity, provenance, acquisitions and exhibitions.

 

Academic: Prof Murray Pittock, Prof Gerry Carruthers, Dr Pauline Mackay, Prof Nigel Leask

Partner: Scottish Government, National Library of Scotland

 

To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

Setting Scotland’s first national Archaeology Strategy

UofG’s Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot (SERF) project combined delivering community benefit with advancing archaeological knowledge that contributes to managing the country’s heritage resources. The 10-year SERF project in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, established an integrated model that combined large-scale archaeological research with long-term community engagement, so successfully that it shaped a new national strategy for archaeology. Historical Environment Scotland (HES) supported –and closely observed – the SERF work and outcomes, then embedded the SERF principles, especially the inclusion of community benefit as a key aim, in the ethos of Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy. This was launched in 2015 with the statement and overarching principle: ‘We want to live in a Scotland where archaeology is for everyone!’

 

Academic: Prof Stephen Driscoll

Partner: Historic Environment Scotland

To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

Heritage-led regeneration in Govan for Glasgow and beyond

Stephen Driscoll’s archaeological research established the Govan Stones collection (carved in the 9th–11th centuries), housed in Govan Old Church in Glasgow, as an internationally popular heritage site. Promotion of Govan Old as a visitor destination led to the establishment in 2013 of a free summer ferry service connecting Govan with the Riverside Museum across the River Clyde. Annual visitors to Govan Old doubled between 2013–2019 from c.6,000–14,000. Driscoll’s vision of Govan Old as visitor attraction and community cultural hub was central to efforts to raise GBP4million between 2015–2018 for the necessary capital improvements, with work commencing 2019. The high profile of Govan’s early medieval cultural heritage has also contributed to wider regeneration in the Clyde waterfront, including c.GBP15million for the construction of a bridge between Govan and the Riverside Museum.

Website: www.thegovanstones.org.uk

Academic: Prof Stephen Driscoll

Partners: Govan Workspace, Central Govan Action Plan, Govan Old, Glasgow City Council

 


To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

The Glasgow Story

Ever wondered who lived in your house or street before the First World War? Or how the city was laid out before a multitude of urban regeneration projects and motorway-building schemes altered the face of the city, sweeping away streets and entire neighbourhoods in the process? TheGlasgowStory tells the story of Glasgow in words and pictures. It includes tales from some of Scotland’s best writers and is illustrated with thousands of images from the collections of the city’s world-famous libraries, museums and universities.  Partners in this ground-breaking initiative led by Information Studies included Glasgow Life, Scottish Screen Archive, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, Strathclyde University and Glasgow Caledonian University.

Website: The Glasgow Story

Partners: Glasgow Life, Scottish Screen Archive, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, Strathclyde University and Glasgow Caledonian University

 

To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

 

Scottish History in Schools Website

Launched in 2012, the History in Schools website has been developed by the History subject area in consultation with historical researchers from the College of Arts and College of Social Sciences, educational colleagues in the School of Education and teaching colleagues in the Scottish Association of Teachers of History, the Scottish Qualifications Authority and Education Scotland.
It aims to disseminate Glasgow’s history research to teachers and pupils in Scotland’s schools by providing open access papers, teaching resources, podcasts and website links. These can be used by teachers in planning lessons or by pupils in researching essays and dissertations. The website is organised by topic, with general education topics for S1-S3 and SQA certificate topics for S4-S6.
The website is linked to the SQA's ushare platform for teachers. The History in Schools team hosts an annual online conference for teachers sharing the latest research on SQA and BGE topics. Videos from the conferences are made available to teachers.  

Project Partners: Education Scotland, Scottish Qualifications Authority, Scottish Association of Teachers of History

Academic: Dr Karin Bowie


To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

Connecting History Academic Advisory Board and Academic Review Panel

A team of historians from the College of Arts and College of Social Sciences have provided editorial expertise for the Connecting History series of textbooks. Published by Hodder Gibson (Hachette UK), this series supports the teaching of National 4, National 5 and Higher History topics in Scottish schools. Authored by teachers, the textbooks are reviewed by Glasow academics to ensure they are up to date, accurate and culturally sensitive. The Academic Review Panel is coordinated by Dr. Karin Bowie (History) and Dr. Philip Tonner (Education) through an Academic Advisory Board.
 
Project Partner: Hodder Gibson
 
 

To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

The Tenant Experience in Social Housing

East Kilbride was designated Scotland's first new town in 1947. Situated on a hilly site in the lower Clyde valley just 8 miles south of the city of Glasgow, it was originally planned as a self-contained town with a population of around 45,000. By 1960 the target population was increased to 70,000. Today East Kilbride is home to 74,012 people.

Homes in East Kilbride were marketed by the Development Corporation as 'modern' and, in comparison with the older housing stock in Scottish towns and cities, these new dwellings were far better equipped. A 1952 article in the Hamilton Advertiser described the new flats as 'a housewives' dream' with built-in wardrobes, pram stores in the entrance hall, a heated towel rail and a kitchenette complete with a gas boiler and built-in cabinets.

It was the belief of the town planners that high quality 'modern' housing in a planned environment would promote a sense of health and wellbeing among residents, improving their quality of life.

As one of the current providers of social housing in the town, East Kilbride & District Housing Association (EKDHA) owns and manages 512 houses available for social rent. Says Mairi Brown Director of EKDHA:

“Like all housing associations, EKDHA is legally obliged to carry out consultations with tenants. It is also committed to providing maximum opportunity and support to tenants and seeks to shape future policy and practice. However, as a small housing association, EKDHA has limited resources for research, therefore engaging with a research intensive institution such as the University of Glasgow seemed the logical step.” 

Using a First Step Award to finance the project, EKDHA engaged directly with Prof Lynn Abrams (History, School of Humanities) to conduct research on their behalf.

“The project aimed to explore the degree to which East Kilbride has met people's expectations and aspirations in terms of housing, local environment and quality of life,” explained Prof Abrams (pictured above).

“In contrast to surveys which assess satisfaction at a particular moment, we aimed to investigate how people's relationships with their homes have altered over their life course. This could be in response to the shifting needs of the family structure, but also to income, age or reaction to the changing character and infrastructure of East Kilbride since 1947.”

The research, which was conducted via a series of oral history interviews with long-term residents, revealed high levels of satisfaction with new town housing and the new town way of life, with respondents commenting on the modern style of homes, the sense of community and the positive sense of wellbeing experienced in the town’s early years.

“The outputs from this project delivered far more than we would have been able to undertake independently of the College of Arts. The process of engaging with the College was easier than we anticipated and, now that the relationship with Lynn and her group has been established, we would not hesitate to call on their knowledge base again,”  said Ms Brown.

 


To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

Runaway Slaves in Britain: Bondage, Freedom and Race in the Eighteenth Century

Professor Simon Newman, assisted by post-doctoral fellow Dr Stephen Mullen and PhD candidate Nelson Mundell, has embarked on a research project which investigates the lives of runaway slaves in Scotland and England prior to the abolition of slavery in Britain. The objective of the Leverhulme Trust funded project is to analyse the runaway slave advertisements which were featured in newspapers, which can offer us an insight into the attitudes and racial demographics of eighteenth century British society. Another aim of the project is to compile a searchable online database of runaway slave advertisements as an educational resource for schools. Newman and his team have engaged with school teachers, and they have also acted as historical advisers for Glasgow Life and Glasgow Museums as part of a series of exhibitions and events which showcased Glasgow's history within the British Empire during the Commonwealth Games period.

To find out more you can visit the project website. 

Academic: Professor Simon Newman 

Project Partners: The Leverhulme Trust, Glasgow Museums, Glasgow Life 

 

To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or by phone (0141 330 3885) 

Landscape Governance and Development

The College of Arts has an established track record in the fields of landscape policy and practice. With partners in Scotland and across Europe, the College engages with the landscape’s past in order to realise the environmental, social, cultural and economic benefits for the future.
The College’s MSc in Landscape: Integrated Research & Practice works with industry to train the next generation of landscape researchers and practitioners. PhD research has also been developed in collaboration
with external partners to be both policy- and practice-orientated.
Many cross-discipline and cross-sector conferences and workshops help to set the agenda for innovative policy- and practice-orientated research.
Specific projects aim to develop new landscape governance and development philosophies and practices.

Partners: Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos, ProGenus Environmental Ltd., Historic Environment Scotland and the Landscape Research Group.

Academic: Dr Kenny Brophy


To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

Place-name research supports local investment

Academics in the College of Arts have helped local initiatives in Scotland to access over £4.5 million worth of Heritage Lottery funding. Working with Discover Bute and the Living Lomonds Landscape Partnership (LLLP), academics from the Scottish place-name projects advised how place-name research could form part of their Heritage Landscape Parternship (HLP) bids. Academics provided a vision of how the communities could be involved in the projects and how the projects could develop.

With Discover Bute, their work resulted in data collection by local residents, which required training workshops from the academics on the phonetic alphabet and recording pronunciation and spatial data, as well as ethical concerns. These projects give people a sense of ownership of their own heritage which is empowering for local communities.

Project Partner: Discover Bute, Living Lomonds Landscape Partnership


To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

Remembering Women in Scotland

Academics in the Centre for Gender History, part of the College of Arts, have worked closely with Glasgow Women’s Library to deliver workshops and other public events. They worked together on the Women of Scotland project with Women’s History Scotland and Girl Guiding Scotland, using a Lottery Awards for All grant, and as a result they have helped to map memorials of over 300 women in Scotland.

Girl Guides participated in the ‘Big Name Hunt’ to find memorials in their local area and gain their ‘Heritage Badge’. Where memorials couldn’t be found, one Girl Guide troop campaigned for a memorial to be established. The project is now being rolled out nationwide through the Glasgow Women’s Library’s outreach programme.

Project Partner: Glasgow Women's Library, Girl Guiding Scotland


To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

Raising awareness of Irish-Scottish connections

Professor Willy Maley, through his work in Irish-Scottish studies ­ in theatre, journalism, and popular culture, as well as critical writing ­has longstanding links with the Irish community in Scotland as a public speaker and community activist. 

Through his contacts with the Irish Heritage Foundation Maley were invited to be part of the 1916 Rising Centenary Committee (Scotland), together with Kirsty Lusk, a PhD student whom he supervised, who was working on Parnell to Partition: Irish-Scottish Connections, 1880-1921. The committee organised a series of public events marking the centenary of the Easter Rising, raising awareness of the Scottish context and its implications for Ireland and the wider world through seminars and discussions.

Maley and Lusk also edited a special issue of the journal Irish Studies Review entitled Commemorating Connolly: Contexts, Comparisons and Celtic Connections, which brought together creative and critical responses to the Rising, with contributions by academic and activists. This placed James Connolly in his Scottish and Irish contexts, including his reception among Gaelic readers and writers, and examines the crucial role of women in the events of 1916, including Coatbridge-born Margaret Skinnider.

Project Partner: Irish Heritage Foundation, Irish Studies Review.

Academic:  Professor Willy Maley


To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact  manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

Paradox of Medieval Scotland

A group of academics in the College of Arts are paving the way to develop resources to support the teaching of Scottish History in the classroom.
A key part of this has been the creation of a vast database of 12th and 13th century Scotland: People of Medieval Scotland (POMS). The database has been designed for school children and their teachers, as well as academics, to use.
The database offers a new experience of engaging with the past, allowing thousands of individuals, and hundreds of places, to take centre stage.
Professor Broun adds: “From Dingwall to Dumfries, schools can investigate history that can be contextualized. Scottish History should look different in different parts of Scotland.”

Project Partners: Education Scotland, Scottish Qualifications Authority, Scottish Association of Teachers of History

Academic: Prof Dauvit Broun


To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

Hand Knitted Textiles and the Economies of Craft in Scotland

Academic historians have been working to explore the place and significance of hand-knitted textiles to Scotland’s economy and culture: past, present, and future. This has been done in collaboration with external organisations such as the Shetland Museum and Archives, the Moray Firth Partnership (Gansey Project), and Jamieson & Smith, as well as individual designers, producers and artists.
With funding from the Royal Society of Edinburgh, academics ran three workshops (on wool, knitting and design) and a public study day at the Lighthouse in Glasgow, which drew together academics, practitioners, designers, makers, industry, creatives, heritage professionals and amateur knitters to talk about how Scottish hand knit traditions have been and are being adapted, produced and marketed in the modern age.

Project Partner: Shetland Museum and Archives

Academic: Prof Lynn Abrams

 


To learn more about this project or to discuss developing a partnership with the College of Arts please contact Dr Fraser Rowan the College of Arts Knowledge Exchange and Impact manager by email or phone (0141 330 3885).

How might we partner with your organisation?

Using the six themes below, explore a range of short case studies that will give you an insight as to how the College of Arts collaborates with partners outside of the university.

No time to explore? Use keywords to get to your area of interest in our case study database.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of developing a project (no matter how early stage or loosely developed) with the College of Arts please contact Fraser Rowan, details opposite.

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