UHI Centre for History

29/05/2026

In the latest blog for our Leverhulme Trust-funded research project, Landscapes of Protest, Dr Iain Robertson discusses engagement with the local environments of protest and their role in understanding the full interaction of nature, space, culture and society, while also reflecting on his own journey as a protest historian.

You can read the full blog on the project website, https://uhihistory.short.gy/setavI

Landscapes of Protest is a collaborative project that investigates how rural workers in the Highlands and Islands defended their livelihoods and ways of life in the age of radical ‘improvements’ which transformed the social and economic basis of Scottish agriculture, 1750 – c. 1820.

UHI

20/05/2026

Congratulations to the team behind the Highlands Reimagined podcast as they celebrate making the shortlist for both 'Best Documentary' and 'Best Community Impact' at the inaugural Scottish Podcast Awards!

Our Dr Elizabeth Ritchie is one of the guests on this series that examines topics from the aftermath of the Highland Clearances to modern community-led action, highlighting the ongoing fight to build a sustainable future for this beautiful place.

Highlands Reimagined was commissioned by Strathnaver Museum, produced by Anya Media and published in partnership with the Wild For Scotland Podcast.

You can find more details and ways to listen to the podcast here, https://uhihistory.short.gy/dZsAg5

UHI

15/05/2026

Dr Jim MacPherson was recently in Edinburgh, visiting the National Library of Scotland for research for his project ‘Traces of empire: Sites of coloniality in the Eastern Highlands’. This project explores historical sites and their colonial legacies, shedding light on the nuanced impacts of colonialism in the region. Pictured here are the Letter Books of Lachlan Mackintosh of Raigmore, who was operating an agency-house in Calcutta, https://uhihistory.short.gy/8kqq2g.

Dr MacPherson also visited the grave of Malvina Wells in the graveyard of St John's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh. You can learn more about Malvina, a woman born into chattel slavery in Grenada who lived in Edinburgh for 37 years in the 19th century, and her life in this blog by Hannah Mackay Tait, Scotland with Hannah https://uhihistory.short.gy/2YOb4r

UHI Royal Society of Edinburgh

14/05/2026

We have a few more tickets left for our June conference, Community, Resistance and Resilience: Celebrating 50 years of The Making of the Crofting Community.

Hosted in-person in Dornoch on 11 and 12 June 2026, the event will bring together scholars, creative practitioners, and activists from around the world to commemorate this landmark book and Jim Hunter’s broader career.

The most up-to-date programme is attached here, and you can book your ticket through Eventbrite, https://uhihistory.short.gy/HKxw0T

If you would prefer to view the programme as a PDF file, you can find it on our website, https://uhihistory.short.gy/AGxUpC

UHI

13/05/2026

In our most recent blog post, Dr Philippa Woodcock and Dr Juliette Desportes reflect on their use of and engagement with country house archives. The piece follows a recent visit at Brucefield House for the annual meeting of Scottish Association of Country House Archivists (SACHA) in late March 2026, which offered a thought-provoking space to reflect on the central relationship between historical practice and the archives which shape past and present.

Read the full piece here, https://uhihistory.short.gy/clyQJP

UHI Inveraray Castle Highland Archive Centre

11/05/2026

Thigibh còmhla rinn gus ceann-bliadhna aon de na leabhraichean as cudromaiche mu eachdraidh na Gàidhealtachd a chomharrachadh.

’S e The Making of the Crofting Community le Seumas Mac an t-Sealgair, aon de na leabhraichean as cudromaiche agus as buadhaiche a chaidh fhoillseachadh a-riamh mu dheidhinn na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean.

Tha 2026 a’ comharrachadh an 50mh ceann-bliadhna de fhoillseachadh na h-obrach cudromaich seo, agus bidh sinn a’ tional sgoilearan, luchd-cleachdaidh chruthachail, agus luchd-iomairt bho air feadh an t-saoghail gus an leabhar cudromach seo agus dreuchd nas fharsainge Sheumais Mhic an t-Sealgair a chomharrachadh.

Còmhla ri leithid 'The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil', Runrig, Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean agus stèidheachadh air na thigeadh gu bhith OGE, tha The Making air beatha dhaoine a chruth-atharrachadh agus air leantainn dìreach gu an ath-bheothachadh chultarach leantainneach air a’ Ghàidhealtachd.

Bha sgrìobhadh, dreuchd nas fharsainge agus iomairt Jim nam prìomh eileamaid den àrdachadh sa ghluasad ann an ceannach fearann coimhearsnachd, a tha air beatha shòisealta, eaconamach agus chultarail na Gàidhealtachd is Eileanan an latha an-diugh, a chruth-atharrachadh.

Tha a’ cho-labhairt againn na cothrom air cudromachd The Making a chomharrachadh, agus cuideachd clàr-gnothaich a shuidheachadh airson deasbadan cudromach san roinn againn mu fhearann, daoine, coimhearsnachdan agus na dùbhlain shòisealta, chultarail, eag-eòlasach agus eaconamach a tha romhainn.

Cliog an seo gus àite a ghlèidheadh, https://lnkd.in/gHsJdK_G

UHI

06/05/2026

Our Dr Juliette Desportes is one of the speakers for 'A history of Scotland in five maps', exploring how maps have shaped Scotland's perception of its geography, history, and national identity.

📆 Thursday 25 June 2026
⏰ 5.30-6.30pm
📍 George IV Bridge

This free, in-person event will also have talks by colleagues at UHI Institute for Northern Studies and National Library of Scotland, and follows the shared project 'Mapping Identities', led by INS with NLS as a partner.

For further details on the event, see original post below. The event is free, but booking is essential.

UHI

'A History of Scotland in Five Maps' - a newly confirmed seminar at The National Library of Scotland involving Dr Oisín Plumb & Dr Andrew Lind UHI Institute for Northern Studies, Dr Juliette Desportes UHI Centre for History and Christopher Fleet from the National Library of Scotland.

➕ Thursday 25 June 2026
➕ At the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh
➕ 5.30pm -6.30pm
➕ Free

Explore how maps have shaped Scotland's perception of its geography, history, and national identity.

The Mapping Identities project, led by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) with the National Library of Scotland as a partner, is examining the powerful role of cartography. This talk will focus on maps from five different eras, revealing how selective choices by mapmakers provide unique insights into Scottish history.

The presentation will be followed by an audience Q&A.
This project is funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh.



https://www.nls.uk/whats-on/history-of-scotland-in-five-maps/

01/05/2026

Our Interim Head of Centre, Dr Lucy Dean, had the great pleasure of meeting staff from Linköpings universitet this week as they stopped at UHI NWH Dornoch during their visit to the Highlands. Big thank you to Prof Stuart Gibb from UHI North, West and Hebrides, who was instrumental in organising this visit.

The visit was part of a programme coordinated by UHI's Learning and Teaching Academy, and followed a two-day programme delivered in Inverness, titled 'Active, compassionate and inclusive practice: online, distanced and decentralised education' offering both universities the opportunity to share experiences, discuss best practice and reflect on challenges.

For the Dornoch talk, titled "Centre for History: Building Community, Promoting Choice and Supporting Independent Engaged Learners", Dr Dean collaborated with Dr Linsey Hunter, as her fourth year History module, 'Deviants, rebels, outcasts and villains: history from the margins in medieval and early modern society' promotes active engagement, offering students the opportunity to shape the module content through co-creation practices.

Dr Dean noted: "It was lovely to meet colleagues from Linköping University to find out about their work in decentralising educational provision in their Swedish context, and share ideas and experiences from our practices at the UHI Centre for History and UHI more broadly - some exciting conversations have been started and we very much hope they will continue."

25/04/2026

The full programme for our June conference, Community, Resistance and Resilience: Celebrating 50 year of The Making of the Crofting Community is now available! Our gathering marks the significance of Jim Hunter's The Making and also sets the agenda for key debates in our region about land, people, communities and the social, cultural, ecological and economic challenges that we face.

Tickets are now available through Eventbrite, https://uhihistory.short.gy/HKxw0T

If you would prefer to view the programme as a PDF, you can access it on our website, https://uhihistory.short.gy/AGxUpC

UHI