Edinburgh, the City of Literature

By: Sasha Panaram

December 4, 2011

As a bibliophile, and after having studied in Edinburgh for three months now, I can say with complete assurance that I chose the ideal place to spend a semester abroad.

In 2004, Edinburgh was named the first UNESCO City of Literature. Recognized for its strong literary culture and support of the arts, Edinburgh is widely considered one of the most conducive environments for writers. The city itself has been the subject of many compositions, including Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley, Robert Burns’ ballads, and Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped. More recently, J.K. Rowling based Hogwarts Castle on several Gothic buildings scattered throughout Edinburgh. Similarly, best-selling author Ian Rankin—the James Patterson of Scotland—uses Edinburgh as the setting for many of his books in the Inspector Rebus series.

“The stories are in the stones” rings true in this part of the United Kingdom. A quick stroll down the Royal Mile—a succession of streets from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace—provides you with opportunities to connect with Edinburgh’s rich literary history and witness the enduring legacy it gave to the world.

This deep appreciation of the arts in Scotland inspires teaching and learning in classrooms. My two English courses, Scottish Literature and Celtic Literature, have taught me that the Scottish academy—professors and students alike—values the culture of evidence. No statement is uttered in a classroom without sufficient facts to support the claim. I have seldom experienced a lecture in which I am not directed to further secondary sources to supplement my understanding of primary texts. Extra reading is not a mere suggestion, because it is expected in almost all cases.

The notion of supporting what you say and owning your thoughts is even reflected in the United Kingdom’s unique grading scale. Unlike the U.S. system, in which points are deducted from assignments when students make errors and present faulty reasoning, in the United Kingdom students are rewarded with points when those things are done correctly. While students in the United States start with 100 points and lose them throughout the marking process, U.K. students start with 0 points and work their way up. This method of allocation encourages students to showcase their knowledge, offer thoughtful critiques of scholarly works, and make substantial connections while taking intellectual risks.

Professors here demand a lot of their students, especially given the fact that independent, self-guided study is the norm. In this way, educators hope that their students will acknowledge and accept their roles as active thinkers and doers in society. As my divinity professor in my God in Philosophy: Plato to Hume class exclaimed on one of the first days of school, “A certain boldness and magnificence is required of you in this course and in life.”

Here at the University of Edinburgh, like at Georgetown, research is taken very seriously, and professors regularly motivate their students to think new thoughts and ask tough questions. Recognizing that not all learning occurs in the classroom, professors advise students to make use of the city around them. Whether it is visiting an open lecture at the National Library of Scotland, viewing an adaptation of a Scottish novel at the Lyceum, exploring the Writers’ Museum, attending book-signing events, or celebrating Robert Burns Day, educators think it is worthwhile to engage with a city that is bursting with opportunities.

All professors, not only English professors, expect that students will use the material learned in classes and the experiences provided by the city to begin a lifelong process of reflection that will drive them to discover their intellectual passions.

There is certainly an emphasis on learning at the University of Edinburgh, but some might suggest that there is an even greater emphasis on cultivating passion.

Although some of the professors I have encountered—and I have had over 20 different lecturers while I’ve been here—have a tendency to get trapped in their scholarly work and fail to constructively convey information to students, most of the professors that I witness in action passionately promote their academic areas of interest.

Many of my English professors chose specialties that grew out of interests stemming from childhood encounters with fictional and nonfictional stories. When these educators supplement their lectures with anecdotes from their pasts and share how they acted on passions that grew into careers, it is impossible for me not to question what academic interest ignites the same passion and vigor within me. It is impossible for me not to ask the question, “What do I believe in?”

And that is exactly what University of Edinburgh professors think effective teaching should do: cultivate the mind and the heart. The University of Edinburgh, again like Georgetown, has shown me that any institution engaged in the life of the mind has the potential to offer students a well-grounded and well-rounded education that can only serve them positively in the future.

Here in Edinburgh, literature and language permeate every part of Scottish life. Learning is not only a task for the young, and life is best done with great love and deep reflection.

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