The journey of the word crusade – from holy to oppressive … and back again Fraser Sutherland • HSS • March 2020 Benjamin Weber, Stockholm University Greta Thunberg is on a crusade to save the planet. Elizabeth Warren is on a crusade against Bernie Sanders. Parks in Yorkshire are on a crusade to save the endangered Turtle Dove. Search the word and…
Coronavirus and the Black Death: spread of misinformation and xenophobia shows we haven’t learned from our past Fraser Sutherland • HSS • March 2020 Image: A 1411 depiction of a man and woman suffering with bubonic plague, or “Black Death”. Everett Historical/ Shutterstock Rachel Clamp, Durham University Although some media outlets have begun referring to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus as a “modern…
Our Humanist Future Fraser Sutherland • HSS • February 2020 Below is the text of the speech given to launch Our Humanist Future strategic plan by Humanist Society Scotland Chief Executive Fraser Sutherland. Thank you to everyone here for coming along and sharing this special day for everyone at Humanist…
Death: can our final moment be euphoric? Fraser Sutherland • HSS • February 2020 Seamus Coyle, University of Liverpool People often look like they are sleeping just after dying, having a neutral facial expression. But one of my relatives, who had intense pain the hours leading up to his death and lacked access to…
Have humans evolved beyond nature – and do we even need it? Fraser Sutherland • HSS • February 2020 Manuel Berdoy, University of Oxford Our society has evolved so much, can we still say that we are part of Nature? If not, should we worry – and what should we do about it? Such is the extent of our…
Climate change novels allow us to imagine possible futures – read these crucial seven Fraser Sutherland • HSS • December 2019 Adeline Johns-Putra, University of Surrey Every day brings fresh and ever more alarming news about the state of the global environment. To speak of mere “climate change” is inadequate now, for we are in a “climate emergency”. It seems as…
Star Wars: from The Force to R2D2, does the science hold up? Fraser Sutherland • HSS • December 2019 Carsten Welsch, University of Liverpool Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, the final film in the epic Star Wars series, will hit the big screens on December 19. Science fiction in general – and Star Wars in particular – is…
Dreaming of a Green Christmas Ceri Sutherland • HSS • December 2019 The winter months have traditionally been a time of celebratory feasts and gift giving, and for many people across Scotland it is a time to hang out with friends and family, reach out to people you’ve been meaning to contact…
What conspiracy theories have in common with fiction – and why it makes them compelling stories Fraser Sutherland • HSS • December 2019 Philip Seargeant, The Open University In an era dominated by “fake news” and disinformation, conspiracy theories are coming to play an increasingly influential role in modern politics. During the recent impeachment hearings in the US, for example, former National Security…
George Buchanan (1506-1582) – An Early Scottish Humanist Ceri Sutherland • HSS • October 2019 George Buchanan (1506-1582) – An Early Scottish Humanist My interest in George Buchanan’s work was sparked when I read that he had been described as a leading Scottish humanist. I was intrigued. Nobody in my circles had ever mentioned him,…
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