Studying the Scots abroad

Billy Kenefick of the Department of History has become something of a globe trotter, taking in visits to Canada, South Africa, Berlin and Detroit, amongst others, as he continues his comparative study of Scots in Canada and South Africa.

Billy explains, "It began back in January 2003, when I combined the possibility of a research visit to South Africa with the presentation of a paper, at the second international conference, Port Jews and Jewish Communities on Cosmopolitan and Maritime Trading Centres, at the University of Cape Town."

The Cape Town paper offered Billy the prospect of drawing to a close his interest in maritime history. Plus the opportunity to launch a new comparative history project examining the role of the Scots in the Canadian and South African trade union and labour movements, c.1880 to 1922.

A small research grant from the Carnegie Trust enabled the trip to Cape Town, and further funding from the Canadian Commission in London helped to finance two research trips to Toronto and Ottawa. Since completing this first phase of his study Billy has presented several papers.

He said, "My initial research suggests that Scottish influence in both the Canadian and the South African Movement was substantial. The Scots also played an important role in establishing a radical labour press in both countries."

The paper Billy presented at the 2003 conference has been selected to appear as a chapter in Volume II of the Port Jews series, edited by David Cesarani and will be published as a special edition of the Journal of Jewish Culture and History.

Billy is also set to return to South Africa to present a further paper at the third and final international conference on Port Jews at Cape Town in January 2005.  He said, "It's summer in South Africa in January so this will only be the second time I have presented a conference paper in shorts!"

Billy's upcoming trip will afford him a further opportunity to establish possible collaborative links with historians at the Universities of Stellenbosch and Johannesburg. The trip also offers him another chance to continue his research on the Scots in South Africa.