Robert Burns: Inventing Tradition and Securing Memory, 1796-1909
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: English Literature
Abstract
Robert Burns: Inventing Tradition and Securing Memory, 1796-1909 is a project which operates on three levels. On the empirical level, it provides a comprehensive web-based catalogue of public monuments to Robert Burns worldwide erected by 1909, with a selection of images from the same period, combined with a web-based classification of the different kinds of Burns-related material culture available commercially or for domestic use. These datasets will enable the whole range of images and items used in the transmission of Robert Burns' reputation into the sphere of cultural memory to be available for study or consultation in one place for the first time. This is a particularly important development, because Burns was one of the most commemorated of all poets, and the documentation of the full range of his memorialization through objects and public monuments will provide an invaluable evidence base both for analysis and for the development of similar records of other writers. The project has the support and partnership of the National Trust for Scotland Burns Birthplace Museum and is currently negotiating access to two extensive private collections of domestic Burnsiana.
On a theoretical level, the project will seek to provide a model for the relationship between literary and material culture, addressing questions such as whether the choice of means of commemoration (e.g. through particular objects or depictions of the poet) has had an effect on the reputation of individual poems or approaches to the writer's life and whether literary and material culture diverge or converge in the significance they grant the reputation of the poet. It will seek to provide outcomes which can act as a basis for the examination of the use of material and commemorative culture as a formative influence in the reception, reputation and canon of other writers.
On a policy level, Inventing Tradition and Securing Memory will contribute, through its work with the curator David Hopes, to the interpretation of Burns at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, the single most important Burns site in the world. The RBBM is in the process of final planning and development with £17M of the final £21M budget raised as of January 2009, and the current project will provide invaluable policy input at a crucial stage in the RBBM's crystallization as a major modern tourist venue. Burns is worth £157M to the Scottish economy (2003 figures), and the cutting-edge interpretation of his memorialization-itself so publicly visible in so many parts of the world-will be of great interest to the combined 100 000+ visitors a year expected at the Museum. It is expected that the dissemination of the research work to Glasgow Museums and to the Wordsworth Trust will also prove invaluable to the development of interpretative material in other venues.
Inventing Tradition and Securing Memory will provide a lasting web resource, a set of scholarly outcomes, and an engagement with the wider heritage, cultural and tourist industries through established collaborative agreements. Its methodologies will include:
i. The gathering of a comprehensive list of public commemorations through archives, newspapers, photograph collections and existing digital and secondary sources.
ii. The intensive use of archives to create a sense of the development of commissioning, fundraising and impact of public Burns commemoration in particular instances.
iii. The design of a taxonomy of domestic objects associated with Burns.
iv The consideration of Burns' memorialization as a form of invention of tradition (Hobsbawm and Ranger (1983)) and its use to 'compose' memories of who the poet was and what he represented.
v. Building on existing research, to establish ways in which material culture may be considered a legitimate part of the reception history of a text or author.
On a theoretical level, the project will seek to provide a model for the relationship between literary and material culture, addressing questions such as whether the choice of means of commemoration (e.g. through particular objects or depictions of the poet) has had an effect on the reputation of individual poems or approaches to the writer's life and whether literary and material culture diverge or converge in the significance they grant the reputation of the poet. It will seek to provide outcomes which can act as a basis for the examination of the use of material and commemorative culture as a formative influence in the reception, reputation and canon of other writers.
On a policy level, Inventing Tradition and Securing Memory will contribute, through its work with the curator David Hopes, to the interpretation of Burns at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, the single most important Burns site in the world. The RBBM is in the process of final planning and development with £17M of the final £21M budget raised as of January 2009, and the current project will provide invaluable policy input at a crucial stage in the RBBM's crystallization as a major modern tourist venue. Burns is worth £157M to the Scottish economy (2003 figures), and the cutting-edge interpretation of his memorialization-itself so publicly visible in so many parts of the world-will be of great interest to the combined 100 000+ visitors a year expected at the Museum. It is expected that the dissemination of the research work to Glasgow Museums and to the Wordsworth Trust will also prove invaluable to the development of interpretative material in other venues.
Inventing Tradition and Securing Memory will provide a lasting web resource, a set of scholarly outcomes, and an engagement with the wider heritage, cultural and tourist industries through established collaborative agreements. Its methodologies will include:
i. The gathering of a comprehensive list of public commemorations through archives, newspapers, photograph collections and existing digital and secondary sources.
ii. The intensive use of archives to create a sense of the development of commissioning, fundraising and impact of public Burns commemoration in particular instances.
iii. The design of a taxonomy of domestic objects associated with Burns.
iv The consideration of Burns' memorialization as a form of invention of tradition (Hobsbawm and Ranger (1983)) and its use to 'compose' memories of who the poet was and what he represented.
v. Building on existing research, to establish ways in which material culture may be considered a legitimate part of the reception history of a text or author.
Publications
Pittock, Murray
(2011)
'Taxonomy: Robert Burns Beyond Text'
in http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/critical/research/researchcentresandnetworks/robertburnsstudies/ourresearch/burns/
Pittock, M
(2016)
'Who Wrote the Scots Musical Museum ? Challenging Editorial Practice in the Presence of Authorial Absence'
in Studies in Scottish Literature
Mackay P
(2011)
Beyond Text: Burns, Byron and Their Material Cultural Afterlife
in The Byron Journal
Sergeant, David; Stafford, Fiona
(2011)
Burns and Other Poets
Pittock, M.
(2011)
Burns and Other Poets.
Mackay P
(2012)
Highland Mary: Objects and Memories
in Romanticism
Pittock M
(2016)
Introduction: Scottish Romanticism
in European Romantic Review
Pittock M
(2014)
Poems and Festivals, Art and Artefact and the Commemoration of Robert Burns, c .1844- c .1896
in The Scottish Historical Review
Pittock, M.
(2014)
Reception of Robert Burns in Europe
Alker, Sharon; Davis, Leith; Nelson, Holly Faith
(2012)
Robert Burns and Transatlantic Culture
Pittock, M.
(2012)
Robert Burns and Transatlantic Culture
Pittock Murray
(2011)
Robert Burns in Global Culture
Pittock, M.
(2011)
Robert Burns in Global Culture
Pittock M
(2016)
Thresholds of Memory: Birch and Hawthorn in the Poetry of Robert Burns
in European Romantic Review
Title | Exhibition at Hunterian Art Gallery |
Description | Exhibition of Burns memorabilia designed to show how they contributed to how the poet was remembered |
Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
Year Produced | 2011 |
Impact | Available to 25 000 visitors |
Title | Exhibition at Mitchell Library of Burns materials and memory studies, 2011, 2013 |
Description | Exhibition: Treasures of the Month |
Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
Year Produced | 2011 |
Impact | Available to c90 000 visitors to the Mitchell Library, Glasgow in 2013 and 120 000 in 2011. |
Title | Exhibition at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum |
Description | An exhibition designed to show how C19 and C20 memories of Highland Mary were created by objects |
Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
Year Produced | 2011 |
Impact | Major press coverage, including The Sun; controversy; open to 78 000 visitors. |
Description | The key discovery is that memory in the nineteenth century could be composed (ie altered, changed) by objects and public ceremonies, just as it can be today by the electronic media |
Exploitation Route | In examining the role of public events and festivals on cultural memory of a place or person historically & in the present. Already of significant interest in tourism and the Burns industry (worth iro £250M pa to the Scottish economy) |
Sectors | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Description | -Scottish Government and Visit Scotland -Burns Scotland Collections Development; Debate in Scottish Parliament on 'The Economic Potential of Robert Burns', 17 January 2018, initiated by Joan McAlpine MSP, Convenor of Culture, Tourism and external Affairs Committee: https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/members-business-the-economic-potential-of-robert-burns-january-17-2018; Discussion on Economic Impact Assessment funding for Robert Burns ongoing with Scottish Government. Also advising WeeBox on Burns January theme box: WeeBox exports to 18 countries. This work has now given rise to an award from Economic Development Directorate (Scottish Government) on the Economic Impact of Robert Burns on the Scottish Economy, which reported in January 2020. The Report was launched by Joan McAlpine MSP, Convenor of the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee at Alloway on 11 January 2020 and the recommendations were the subject of a debate in the Scottish Parliament on 21 January 2020. |
First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Creative Economy,Education,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Retail |
Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
Description | Incorporation of Robert Burns Beyond Text database on Scottish Government marketing site |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
Description | Scottish Government Burns Night Twitter ac |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Description | Scottish Winter Festivals |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | - Working with government's Glasgow-based PR company: SMARTS - Working with government's New York-based PR company: Laura Davidson Public Relations. - Article, 'Robert Burns: Inventing Tradition and Securing Memory Worldwide' for US Blog 'Wandering Educators' (222,995 unique visitors per month) - Feature article (about PM) in The Herald Magazine: 'What it feels like to Uncover the bawdy side of Burns' by Susan Swarbrick, 24 January 2015. - Guest Curator of the government's @Scotland Twitter account from Wednesday 21 - Sunday 25 January (available to 2352 followers internationally). - Twitter Takeover Q&A of the government's @AboutScotland Twitter account on Sunday 25th January 5-6pm (available to 8019 followers internationally). - Re-launch of Burns App with new Timeline of Burns's life. Content (by Pauline Mackay) intentionally links to Beyond Text and Burns Scotland partners' images and websites. Now downloaded by over 14000 people internationally (across Android & iOS, as at 9 March 2015). Promoted through Scottish Government social media and Visit Scotland. |
Title | Inventing Tradition and Securing Memory |
Description | Annotated list of extant Burns public monuments plus taxonomy of Burns memorabilia |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2011 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Of major interest to Burns researchers and heritage industry worldwide- queries and almost 25000 visits to site in 2011-13. |
URL | http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/critical/research/researchcentresandnetworks/robertburnsstudies/ourrese... |
Description | Collaboration agreement with National Trust for Scotland. |
Organisation | National Trust for Scotland |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Information taken from Final Report |
Description | Collaboration with Burns Scotland |
Organisation | Burns Scotland |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Research agenda for Burns collections Scotlandwide |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to holdings |
Impact | None |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | Collaboration with Glasgow Life |
Organisation | Glasgow Life |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Support for research and exhibitions agenda |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to collections, platform for exhibitions |
Impact | None specific |
Start Year | 2009 |
Description | Collaboration with National Library of Scotland |
Organisation | National Library of Scotland |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Support for curatorial research |
Collaborator Contribution | Support for antiques roadshow event |
Impact | No |
Start Year | 2010 |
Title | Robert Burns Edify Beyond Text platform |
Description | Burns Beyond Reality was one of the 16 winners of the international contest (170 applicants) for Win-a-Lab to build new packages on the edify.ac platform created by the University of Glasgow/Sublime Digital. It was premiered on 30 January 2021 |
Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Impact | Too early to say: but there is major demand for Burns Country visualisation products, with the Burns Birthplace more visited than any other literary museum in the UK bar Shakespeare. |
URL | https://www.whatsonglasgow.co.uk/event/092852-burns-beyond-reality/ |
Title | Scottsh Government Burns App |
Description | Downloadable app of Robert Burns for Scottish Government |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | Awareness raising: 14000 downloads internationally. Accompanying piece for US Blog 'Teach Thought' (1,046,740 unique visitors per month). |
Description | 'Burns and the Rhetoric of Slavery' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Transatantic Burns Conference, Vancouver, 8 April 2009 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | 'Fiddling with Known Burns: Burns and the Limits of Criticism'. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Paper at Robert Burns in European Culture Conference, Charles University, Prague, 8 March |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | 'Robert Burns and Global Culture': 44th Will Lecture, House of Commons |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 44th Will Lecture, Portcullis House, House of Commons, sponsored by Andrew Mitchell MP, then Shadow Secretary of State for International Devt |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | 'Robert Burns in Global Culture', |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | School of Advanced Study seminar, London, 2 June |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | 'Robert Burns in Global Culture', |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Centre for Research into Regional Development Conference, Crichton Campus, Dumfries, 23 May 2008 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
Description | 'Robert Burns in Global Culture', |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Centre for Research into Regional Development Conference, Crichton Campus, Dumfries, 23 May 2008 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
Description | 'The history of "Auld Lang Syne", for old time's sake' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interview on the origins of Auld Lang Syne for Washington Post, syndicated internationally |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
Description | 'Whisky, Weib und Ceilidhs' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Coverage of British Chambers of Commerce Germany annual Burns Supper, at which I was the principal speaker |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | 'Who wrote the Scots Musical Museum ? Challenging editorial practice in the presence of authorial absence' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Roy Lecture, University of South Carolina, 12 October |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | 'Who wrote the Scots Musical Museum ? Challenging editorial practice in the presence of authorial absence' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Seminar, Editorial Institute, University of Boston |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | 'Who wrote the Scots Musical Museum ? Challenging editorial practice in the presence of authorial absence' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Harvard Graduate Seminar, 22 October |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Britische Handelskammer feiert das "Burns Supper", |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Principal speaker at British Chambers of Commerce Germany Burns Supper in Frankfurt |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Burnisianarama |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 40 people attended a talk on the composure of memory by objects in the Victorian period, which was followed by an Antiques Roadshow of Burnsiana, identifying objects and talking about people's memory of them This activity was associated with the Highland Mary Exhibition at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, open to c50 000 people, co curated by the PI |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
Description | Global BUrns |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Lecture on Global BUrns, Brigham Young University, Utah- Tartan Day, 6 April |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |