Anglo-Czech Educational Fund – Interim Report
Research stay at the University of Edinburgh (School of History, Classics and Archaeology)
Date of stay: 9th October 2019 – 1st December 2019
Dissertation Project: Revivalist Movements in the so-called Celtic Countries (Brittany, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) at the Turn of the 20th Century and their Relationship to the Celtic Identity
Objectives
In general, the main objective of my research is to explicate the process of formation of collective representation at the turn of the 20th century in the so-called Celtic countries under the influence of local revivalist movements. The goal of my research stay in Edinburgh is the study of primary sources in the National Library of Scotland (NLS) and other archival institutions, as indicated in my research proposal to Anglo Czech Educational Fund. My intention is also to consult my research topic with local specialists and to establish links with them to help in my future career.
Progress
After my arrival in Edinburgh, I registered at the University of Edinburgh and got in touch with my supervisor, Emile Chabal, with whom I scheduled my research plan. Since then, I am on a daily basis visiting NLS where I am studying printed sources published by (or connected to) An Comunn Gaidhealach, the Gaelic revivalist organisation. Starting from about three weeks ago, I am also studying materials of the Archives and Manuscripts Collections of the NLS, mostly the correspondence of members of An Comunn. For the manuscripts, I am not unfortunately allowed to take photos of the sources which has then turned out to be a more time-consuming task than originally expected.
Regarding other academic activities, I have been regularly attending a Seminar series1 of Centre for the Study of Modern and Contemporary History (CSMCH), which is giving me an opportunity to meet with other local scholars. Also, I have been asked to write a blog article about myself and my research activities in Edinburgh, which was already published on the Blog website of the CSMCH.2
1 “Seminar series”. History, Classics & Archaeology: Centre for the Study of Modern and Contemporary. https://www.ed.ac.uk/history-classics-archaeology/modern-contemporary-history-centre/events-and- seminars/seminar-series (09 Nov. 2019). 2 “Introducing Martina Reiterová”. Centre for the Study of Modern and Contemporary History Blog. https://research.shca.ed.ac.uk/csmch/2019/10/30/introducing-martina-reiterova/ (09 Nov. 2019).
Martina Reiterová, November 2019
As for the University of Edinburgh and its archives, I have discovered an important archival fund – the Carmichael-Watson collection3 – that I am planning to study in the second half of my stay.
The School of History of the University is also equipped with the so-called Research room that contains Scottish History Book Collection4 to serve especially to the PhD students. I am visiting this place on a regular basis as well.
As for the financial side of my research stay, most of the allocated budget has been already spent on payments for the accommodation, the flight tickets and the public transportation services in Edinburgh.
Plan
For the second half of my stay, I am planning to continue my archival research as outlined above. Then, I will be consulting my dissertation project with specialists from the Scottish and Celtic
Studies department of the University. I am also planning to go to visit and discuss my topic with scholars from the University of St Andrews.
3 The Carmichael-Watson Collection. Edinburgh University Library Special Collections. https://lac-archives- live.is.ed.ac.uk:8081/repositories/2/resources/86763 (09 Nov. 2019). 4 Research Room – Scottish History Collections, School of History, Classics & Archaeology. https://www.ed.ac.uk/files/atoms/files/scottish_history_collection_2015.pdf (09 Nov. 2019).