Events

The School supports a wide and varied programme of events, from lectures and seminars to film screenings and workshops. They are all - unless otherwise stated - free and open to everyone who wishes to attend.

You can find details of events which have already taken place in our archive.

Forthcoming events

Research seminars

See our full calendar of events taking place across the School or view individual seminar schedules by topic.

Events calendar

Events calendar

Our events calendar offers a day-by-day overview of what is happening in the School.

Lomography in Leith

Three images side by side - cranes agaist a dark blue evening sky, the marks of ivy up the side of a building, a black and white image of calm water, a single swan floating on it.

A new exhibition showcases photographic work by ten HCA-affiliated students who answered the question, "What is Leith?"

'Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat'

Three people - two men and one woman - sit in the back of a car, looking through a lowered window at the camera.

This screening is in collaboration with Filmhouse and the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities. It will have a short introduction and be followed by a Q&A with historians of Cold War and cultural diplomacy.

Inaugural Gaukroger Lecture - Professor Sorana Corneanu

This scene shows Vulcan and his assistants the Cyclopes forging weapons for the gods, with Minerva standing at the right. The diamond surmounting Minerva’s shield is an emblem of the Medici family, and this picture may have been painted around 1565 for Francesco de’ Medici (Grand Duke from 1574), who took a keen interest in metallurgy and alchemy.

The Inaugural Gaukroger Lecture will be on 'The art of thinking: Towards a new practice turn in the intellectual history of early modern logic'. Hybrid.

Justin Arbuthnott Lecture 2026 - 'Ireland's Pope: Cardinal Paul Cullen and the making of Irish Catholicism'

A soldier kneels and holds a tricolor flag in a dimly lit space, receiving a blessing from a bishop in ornate robes. A solemn tone prevails.

This year's Arbuthnott Lecture will be given by Professor Colin Barr (University of Notre Dame).

AHGN Graduate Conference - 'Asia in the global context'

The Dr Elsie Inglis Quadrangle, The Old Medical School.

The Asian Histories Graduate Network (AHGN) conference will explore Asia within the global framework and examine how historical narratives are shifting to place Asia at the centre.

Conference: 'Divine anthropomorphism in ancient cultures'

The lunette above 'Triumph of Religion North Wall' by John Singer Sargent showing Egyptian pharaoh wielding a staff at left, and the Assyrian King at right, releasing a sword from his sheath, over the Israelites.

This conference investigates divine anthropomorphism as a cultural, religious and literary phenomenon.

Symposium: 'Classical literature in the Renaissance'

A close up of a double-page spread from Ovid's first volume of the Aldine edition of Ovid's works (Venice: 1502), including "Metamorphoses", which is embellished with MS decoration and illumination.

Talks will examine the afterlife of classical literature in the Early Modern period across a range of texts, including literary works by authors such as Petrarch and translations from Latin and Greek.

Inaugural Lecture - Professor Emile Chabal

A poster proclaims "L'etat c'est chacun nous" with a figure standing over the words

Professor Chabal's inaugural lecture will be, 'Age of identity: Democracy and difference in contemporary Europe'.

Lecture recordings

Some of our guest and inaugural lectures are recorded and are available to watch and listen to online. 

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