‘The Referendum: Taking Stock’ – Dundee Arts Café on 7th October

Published On Wed 1 Oct 2014 by Grant Hill

As the dust settles on the Scottish independence referendum, one of the country’s leading historians will reflect upon the campaign and what the future holds for Scotland at the next Dundee Arts Café event.

Professor Christopher Whatley, who recently retired from his role as Vice-Principal of the University of Dundee, will lead ‘The Referendum: Taking Stock’, at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum on Tuesday, 7th October.

Over the last two years Professor Whatley, author of the acclaimed ‘The Scots and the Union: Then and Now’, has led the University’s contribution to the referendum debate through the Five Million Questions project. He will reflect upon the campaign for independence, the result, and the future for Scotland at the Arts Café event.

“I will be looking at the emergence of the movement for Scottish independence, the successes and failings of the Yes and Better Together campaigns, and discussing the result in the context of the long history of the British union state,” he said.

“The Union, as envisaged in 1707 and as it has developed over the subsequent three centuries, is no longer fit for purpose, but is Britain broken? Are we now closer to the situation Scotland and England were in before 1707 but after the union of the crowns in 1603? Or is this arrangement– with Scotland and England sharing a single monarch – also outdated and under threat? What of Scotland’s relationship with England – and the rest of the UK – in future?”

Dundee Arts Café is a programme of talks showcasing arts research and developments taking place locally. The series is organised by the Universities of Dundee and Abertay, and Dundee City Council’s Leisure & Culture department.

The events enable members of the public to relax and discuss the arts, from English to History, Philosophy to Architecture, and Fine Art to Product Design, with some of the leading names carrying out work in these areas in Dundee.

The events last one hour, and speakers talk passionately about their work for 30 minutes before the floor is opened up to an informal discussion with the audience. All talks take place in The McManus Café, Albert Square, Dundee.

‘The Referendum: Taking Stock’takes place at 6pm on Tuesday, 7th October. The event is free, and open to all. Limited seating means visitors are advised to arrive early to avoid disappointment.

For more information about the event and Dundee Arts Cafe please visit www.DundeeArtsCafe.co.uk.

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