Category: research
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UHI Institute for Northern Studies Pioneering Arctic Island Research
The UHI Institute for Northern Studies has led innovative research since its establishment in 2007, examining development impacts while actively influencing economic and social policies in the Arctic and Northern Islands. In September 2025, the inaugural interdisciplinary symposium titled “The Future of Northern & Arctic Islands: 2050 and Beyond” took…
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In the Footsteps of Orkney’s Most Notorious Pirate
The UHI Institute for Northern Studies in partnership with the J. Gow Distillery is pleased to announce the launch of the John Gow Heritage Trail, a significant new heritage trail in Orkney. The trail tells the story of John Gow, Orkney’s most renowned eighteenth-century pirate, and the locations associated with…
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UHI Institute for Northern Studies Post Doctoral Research Associate Celebrates Prestigious Award
UHI Institute for Northern Studies Post Doctoral Research Associate, Dr Shane McLeod, has been awarded the prestigious Murray Prize for History 2025. The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland presents an award every two years to recognise the best paper featuring original research on the history of Scotland, specifically from the…
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INS Researchers Highlight Research at the Exciting SSNS 2025 Conference!
Staff and students from the University of the Highlands and Islands Institute for Northern Studies gathered at the Scottish Society for Northern Studies Day Conference in Arbroath on 22nd November 2025. The conference showcased fascinating insights into Scotland’s Viking and Early Medieval period, with Professor Alex Sanmark inspiring attendees with…
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UHI Institute for Northern Studies Student Celebrates PhD Triumph
The UHI Institute for Northern Studies is pleased to announce that PhD candidate Adele Lidderdale has successfully completed her viva, requiring only minor corrections, and is now eligible to be awarded her doctorate. Adele is a researcher from Orkney who conducted a study on the implementation of Scotland’s first National…
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The Gaelic Bagpiping Tradition: Did it Stay Truer to its Roots in Nova Scotia than in Scotland
In this blog, UHI Institute for Northern Studies student, Hazel Gunn, studying BA Hons in Culture and Heritage, outlines the findings of her research. The Gaelic tradition of bagpiping in Nova Scotia began with the arrival of people from the Highlands and Islands who emigrated to escape from poverty and…
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UHI Institute for Northern Studies Alumna Celebrates the Publication of Her PhD
We’re thrilled to announce that UHI Institute for Northern Studies alumna Jane Blair MacMorran has successfully published “The Legacy of Ron Gonnella: Scottish Fiddler 1930-1994,” with The University of Tennessee Press as part of their esteemed Charles K Wolfe Music Series. Jane’s PhD thesis focused on the musical legacy of…
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Call for Papers. Mapping Identities: Visual Depictions of Scotland Conference
Conference Call for Papers: UHI Perth, 9-10 February 2026 In 2025, UHI Institute for Northern Studies, together with ourcollaborative partners from the National Library of Scotland andLandscape Research Group, launched Mapping Identities: VisualDepictions of Scotland. This project, funded through the generous support of an RSE Research Collaboration Grant, brings together…
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UHI Institute for Northern Studies Student Awarded Prestigious Academic Prize
The UHI Institute for Northern Studies is pleased to announce that Hazel Gunn, a student pursuing a BA Hons in Culture and Heritage, has been awarded the Highland Society of London’s Dissertation Prize. This honour is bestowed upon the student whose work, in the opinion of the judges, significantly contributes…
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Final Mapping Identities Workshop Examines the Theme of Power
On Wednesday 8 October, Drs. Oisín Plumb and Andrew Lind (both of INS) hosted the third and final workshop for the Mapping Identities RSE-funded project at the Mitchell Library, Glasgow. With previous workshops’ having explored Identity and Cosmology, the focus of this workshop was Power. This produced a range of…

