Why did so many European luminaries who had lived through the
turmoil of the French Revolution turn to Scotland as a state that
might represent a model for the future of the world? In this
Inaugural Lecture, Professor Richard Whatmore explains why so many
figures at the end of the eighteenth century felt that...
Are people’s characters and the values that shape them thought
to be stable in terms of what we may judge to be virtuous or
vicious performances across time and place? If this was the case,
should we today not be able to emulate those of the past in their
best practices? In this lecture, Janet Coleman charts a...
The hallmark of Athenian democracy was equality. From at least
the beginning of the 5th century, Athens was a place where there
was equality in political rights. By the mid-5th century, the
Athenian assembly had sovereignty in matters of decision making.
The practical politics of Athens, however, required...
The years between 1864 and 1867 were among the most fulfilling
of Marx’s life. Not only were these the years in which he wrote up
Capital, it was also the period in which he became an active and
influential participant in the International Workingmen’s
Association, founded in London in 1864. Almost by chance,
it...
The issue of slavery is a constant in Maria Edgeworth's
thinking about questions of government, from the beginning of her
writing career until the 1820s and 30s. In this paper, Susan Manly
discusses the multiple elements to this seam of thinking, and in
particular examines the importance of the reformist
thinker...
Recordings from the popular public lecture series featuring new work on all aspects of intellectual history. Hosted by the Institute of Intellectual History at the University of St Andrews.