Forgotten Voices and Hidden Histories – Why we need to talk about the Renaissance in Scotland
Published: 8 February 2023
This paper explores the forgotten voices and hidden histories of Scotland in the late fifteenth and sixteenth century in Scotland
Date: Monday March 9 2023
Location: 4 University Gardens, Room 203
Time: 16:00
Abstract:
Scottish playwright Rona Munro’s fourth instalment of her James Plays series, James IV: Queen of the Flight (2020), found itself at the heart of fierce social media criticism due to the promotional material featuring two women of colour next to James IV of Scotland. The comments levied the charge of “political correctness gone mad”, because for the vast majority of people commenting, people of colour had no place in fifteenth century Scotland. The misunderstanding surrounding the historical details Munro’s play draws from is indicative of the way in which Scotland’s connection to the wider European world during the Renaissance has been largely ignored. Exploring the “Moorish lassies” at the court of James IV to the Scholars engaging with the “esoteric” Christian Cabala at Kings College in Aberdeen, this paper explores the forgotten voices and hidden histories of Scotland in the late fifteenth and sixteenth century in Scotland.
Speaker's Bio:
Kirsty Pattison is a PhD Candidate and recipient of the Hooper Holt scholarship in TRS writing on Esoteric Christian Humanism in fifteenth and sixteenth century Scotland. Her work focuses on the impact of esoteric/occult practices and has presented papers on topics such as Christian Cabala, Marsilio Ficino, the concept of Magic, and Freemasonry at several academic conferences. A current graduate teaching assistant on several TRS courses, she also teaches on the level two Mysticism course exploring the connections between mysticism, magic, and esotericism focusing on the appropriation of Jewish Kabbalah.
Religion, Challenge, and Change with Kirsty Pattison on: Forgotten Voices and Hidden Histories
First published: 8 February 2023