English and Scottish Literature Research Events: Ken Hirschkop In brief Date - 27 February 2026Venue - Project Room 1.06, 50 George SquareSpeaker - Professor Ken Hirschkop (University of Waterloo)Chair - Dr Rebecca Tierney-HynesTitle - The Hollywood Theory of Social Change About the speakerProfessor Ken Hirschkop's original academic speciality was music theory and history, but in 1981, after a brief stint as an apprentice harpsichord maker, he went to England to do graduate work in literature. He was Lecturer in the History and Theory of Communication at the University of Southampton between 1987 and 1995, offering courses that covered a wide range of issues in communication, past and present. From 1995 until 2005 he worked at the University of Manchester, and in the summer of 2005 he moved to the University of Waterloo.Over the next few years, Professor Hirschkop will be focusing much of his research on recent critiques of the conception of language as a code or a ‘body of conventions’ (Saussure’s phrase). These critiques have been made in linguistics, in writing studies, and in the analytic philosophy of language, but they have been developed in almost complete ignorance of one another. He aims to start some kind of dialogue among them, in the interest of a theory of language with a broader and more comprehensive reach than those mortgaged to traditional theories of meaning.He is also beginning a course of research on the ‘cultures of populism’. He is interested in how mass cultural forms (film, video, television, games, etc.) construct an organise a sense of ‘the people’ and of what it means to be ‘ordinary’, which then undergirds populist appeals in the political sphere.How to attendEach year, English and Scottish Literature hosts a variety of exciting research events featuring a fantastic range of guest speakers and colleagues.Events are free and everyone is welcome. No booking is required.Are you interested in a PhD in English Literature?We offer two PhDs: one in English Literature; and one in Creative Writing. Working with colleagues in LLC and across the wider University, we are able to support research which crosses boundaries between disciplines and/or languages. Find out more about PhD study in English Literature at Edinburgh Tags English and Scottish Literature Feb 27 2026 16.00 - 17.30 English and Scottish Literature Research Events: Ken Hirschkop An in-person seminar by Professor Ken Hirschkop (University of Waterloo), titled 'Black British Writing: Race Crisis, Absence, and the UK University'. Project Room 1.06 50 George Square University of Edinburgh EH8 9LH Find the venue: 50 George Square
English and Scottish Literature Research Events: Ken Hirschkop In brief Date - 27 February 2026Venue - Project Room 1.06, 50 George SquareSpeaker - Professor Ken Hirschkop (University of Waterloo)Chair - Dr Rebecca Tierney-HynesTitle - The Hollywood Theory of Social Change About the speakerProfessor Ken Hirschkop's original academic speciality was music theory and history, but in 1981, after a brief stint as an apprentice harpsichord maker, he went to England to do graduate work in literature. He was Lecturer in the History and Theory of Communication at the University of Southampton between 1987 and 1995, offering courses that covered a wide range of issues in communication, past and present. From 1995 until 2005 he worked at the University of Manchester, and in the summer of 2005 he moved to the University of Waterloo.Over the next few years, Professor Hirschkop will be focusing much of his research on recent critiques of the conception of language as a code or a ‘body of conventions’ (Saussure’s phrase). These critiques have been made in linguistics, in writing studies, and in the analytic philosophy of language, but they have been developed in almost complete ignorance of one another. He aims to start some kind of dialogue among them, in the interest of a theory of language with a broader and more comprehensive reach than those mortgaged to traditional theories of meaning.He is also beginning a course of research on the ‘cultures of populism’. He is interested in how mass cultural forms (film, video, television, games, etc.) construct an organise a sense of ‘the people’ and of what it means to be ‘ordinary’, which then undergirds populist appeals in the political sphere.How to attendEach year, English and Scottish Literature hosts a variety of exciting research events featuring a fantastic range of guest speakers and colleagues.Events are free and everyone is welcome. No booking is required.Are you interested in a PhD in English Literature?We offer two PhDs: one in English Literature; and one in Creative Writing. Working with colleagues in LLC and across the wider University, we are able to support research which crosses boundaries between disciplines and/or languages. Find out more about PhD study in English Literature at Edinburgh Tags English and Scottish Literature Feb 27 2026 16.00 - 17.30 English and Scottish Literature Research Events: Ken Hirschkop An in-person seminar by Professor Ken Hirschkop (University of Waterloo), titled 'Black British Writing: Race Crisis, Absence, and the UK University'. Project Room 1.06 50 George Square University of Edinburgh EH8 9LH Find the venue: 50 George Square
Feb 27 2026 16.00 - 17.30 English and Scottish Literature Research Events: Ken Hirschkop An in-person seminar by Professor Ken Hirschkop (University of Waterloo), titled 'Black British Writing: Race Crisis, Absence, and the UK University'.
