Writing History was an innovative School of Humanities module which encouraged students to explore different approaches to research and writing through the medium of the University’s archive collections. Students used records of Dundee’s jute industry, case books and other material from local asylums, and a range of items from whaling collections to consider how history is recorded and remembered through different writing styles. History staff looked at academic approaches while English lectures introduced students to the creative writing process.
We’re delighted to showcase some of the creative responses here.
Amy Turnbull was inspired by the stories of asylum patients.
We get a brief glimpse into the lives of people through the archives and Amy used this to create her own story of Jessie which you can read by clicking the link above.
Liam Wright created a mixture of poetry and prose in response to photographs and log books from Dundee’s whaling industry. Click on the link to read more.
Catriona Harrison was also inspired by the log books to imagine the final voyage of a harpooner.
For Steven Monaghan the tough conditions experienced Dundee families just after the First World War, when men faced the after effects of their experiences in the trenches while women worked in the noisy, dirty mills, inspired a short story. 
