In the 1880s and 1890s, the British Isles-Ireland especially-experienced a Celtic Literary Revival. Drawing on both history and religion, this revival focused on aspects of old Celtic spirituality and how their beliefs were intertwined with the natural world around them. While not everyone was sympathetic to this sense of spirituality and nostalgia, the revival did gain traction amongst many authors of the time. Using the works of influential writers like William Butler Yeats and the Rhymers Club, this paper seeks to (...) explore how Celtic spirituality was being rediscovered and interpreted during the late Victorian period. (shrink)

One of the most enduring legacies of the Cold War period was the rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States. This is especially true if one considers the ‘Space Race,’ of the mid 1950s-1960s, where each country tried to out-do the other in all manner of space technology. This paper, while acknowledging the importance held by military and scientific goals, argues that it was matters of nationalism and prestige that provided the biggest motivation for the creation of new (...) space technologies during this time. (shrink)

The Great Exhibition of 1851 in London was a large, highly significant affair that brought the innovations and industries of the world together under one roof. While it was indeed a global event, it has been argued, especially by people at the time, whether or not the exhibition was held for the great benefit of the British. This paper will argue that the primary motivation for the British was indeed their own benefit by looking at British prestige, what they had (...) to offer the exhibition, and what they stood to gain by hosting such an event. (shrink)