Ex-position Feature Topic Call for Papers

Mosaic Outlooks: New Directions in Studies of Scottish Literature, Culture, and Society

Guest Editors: Kang-yen Chiu, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University

Shu-fang Lai, National Sun Yat-sen University

Publication Date: June 2026 (Issue No. 55)

Submission Deadline: October 31, 2025

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Scotland is a nation renowned for its remarkable literary and cultural heritage. From its breathtaking landscapes—spanning Highlands and Lowlands, islands and lochs—to vibrant cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow, serving as intellectual hubs of imagination and innovation, Scotland has cultivated a legacy of leading writers, philosophers, scientists, engineers, and medics. The distinctiveness of Scottish identity is woven from a rich tapestry of influences, blending its ancient Gaelic traditions, the profound intellectual legacy of the Scottish Enlightenment, and a forward-thinking spirit that continues to shape its cultural landscape.

Scotland is also a land where tradition meets transformation. Politically, the country’s quest for greater autonomy within the United Kingdom reflects a blend of historical pride and progressive ambition. Since the opening of its Parliament in 1999, Scotland has taken steady strides toward self-determination, with many cherishing the dream of independence. Meanwhile, such an inclination is balanced by the open-mindedness exemplified by many Scots’ reaction to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who held “deep and abiding affection” for Scotland. This connection was poignantly reflected in the thousands of Scots who paid tribute to her cortege during its six-hour journey from Balmoral Castle to Edinburgh on 11 September 2022.

Scotland’s global influence in literature, art, science, and technology is profound. Historically, connections between Taiwan and Scotland date back to the mid-nineteenth century, facilitated by government officials, traders, medics, and missionaries. These interactions inspired diverse works across literature, science, art, architecture, journalism, and educational reform. Despite these historical ties, the field of Scottish studies awaits further exploration. In the past decade, though, this field has undergone significant growth in new directions. Academically, its scope has expanded through initiatives such as the International Association for the Study of Scottish Literatures (IASSL), which was established in 2014 to foster global engagement with Scottish literary studies and has hosted three biannual conferences so far. A lot of research has been done on subjects such as Scottish women writers, children’s literature, periodicals (such as Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine and Chambers’s Edinburgh Journal), global reception, or diaspora, while more and more new materials have been uncovered. With this special issue, we aim to contribute to the development of Scottish Studies, shedding new light on its contemporary relevance.

This special issue invites scholars to investigate Scotland’s rich heritage from any perspective within the humanities, particularly within literary and cultural studies. Collectively examining Scotland’s contributions and complexities, we hope to offer fresh insights into Scottish literature, culture, and society in local and global contexts.

Topics may include but are not limited to:

• Significant Historical Events: The Jacobite Uprisings and the Highland Clearances
• Scottish Cultural Heritage: Culinary Culture, Folklore, Music and Dance, Festivals 
• Past and Present Scottish Writers and their Works: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, James Hogg, Thomas Carlyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, J. M. Barrie, Arthur Conan Doyle, Margaret Oliphant, Muriel Spark, Sorley MacLean, Iain Banks, Ali Smith, George Mackay Brown, Edwin Morgan
• Print Culture: Scottish Periodicals, Publishers, Illustrators
• Enlightenment and Movements: Empiricism and Reason, Moral Philosophy and Human Nature, Advances in Science and Technology, Medicine, Education, Temperance Movement, Evolution
• Scottish Art and Aesthetics:  Scottish Colourists, Art Nouveau and Art Deco
• Scottish Cinema, Theatrical Performance
• Capital, City or Town Lives: Landscapes, Weather
• Scots Abroad: Scientists, Plant Hunters, Missionaries, Photographer, Traders, Nurses, Doctors, Settlers, Soldiers, Sailors  

**In addition to themed sections, each issue of Ex-position includes a “General Topics” section that welcomes submissions year-round.

**For the journal submission guidelines, please visit http://ex-position.org.