British Literature: Modernism, Contemporary Literature, Scottish Literature

About

The Text and Context programme provides comprehensive, interdisciplinary courses that examine literature from Britain and Ireland in the context of the key societal and cultural developments during the twentieth and the twenty-first century. The dynamic and diverse characteristics of more than a hundred years of English, Irish, and Scottish texts are studied in conjunction with recent developments in literary theory.

Modernism | 13th-25th July 2026

The Modernism module examines work by, among others, T.S. Eliot, Ford Madox Ford, Virginia Woolf and Jean Rhys and is designed to address the needs of students of all levels who wish to focus on Modernist aesthetics and explore in more detail this historical and cultural period. Lectures are complimented by visits to Mansfield Traquair, the National Gallery of Modern Art, the Scottish Poetry Library and much more!

Contemporary Literature | 27th July - 8th August 2026

The Contemporary Literature course covers British and Irish Literature since 1990. Texts include notable works by A. S. Byatt, Ali Smith, David Mitchell and David Greig, as well as the graphic novel. Activities include a Ceilidh, a Burns Supper, and a formal evening at the beautiful Playfair Library.

Scottish Literature | 10th -22nd August 2026

The Scottish Literature course spans the twentieth and early-twenty-first centuries, beginning with Scottish Modernism and moving through Post-Modern and Contemporary Scottish Literature. The reading list includes poetry by Hugh MacDiarmid, Liz Lochhead and Edwin Morgan, plays by John McGrath and Gregory Burke, and fiction by Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Muriel Spark and Alasdair Gray. This exciting course takes place during the Edinburgh festival season, and includes a performance at the Edinburgh International Festival, as well as an evening at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Course leader

Students attend a 1-hour daily lecture, given by a guest speaker of established academic reputation, which provides a focused analysis of the critical, theoretical, and historical context of the literature. Following the lecture, students attend a 2-hour

Target group

Each 2-week Text and Context course is suitable for undergraduates, postgraduates, teachers, working professionals and academics. Students must be at least 18 years of age by the start date of the summer school to apply.

Course aim

The Text and Context terms provide a comprehensive, interdisciplinary course that examines literature from Britain and Ireland in the context of the key societal and cultural developments during the twentieth and the twenty-first centuries. The dynamic and diverse characteristics of more than one hundred years of English, Irish, and Scottish texts are studied in conjunction with recent developments in literary theory.

Students attend a 1-hour daily lecture given by a guest speaker of established academic reputation, which provides a focused analysis of the critical, theoretical, and historical context of the literature. Following the lecture, students attend a 2-hour seminar and explore the literature through group discussion.

Fee info