Back in the hayday of Dundee, people would work around the clock in the jute factories, with little to no leisure time. Their quality of living was less than poor: they had very little time with their family, time to learn, time to travel, or time to see movies. In many senses, industrialized Dundee can be characterized by its citizens constantly working, as if they were run by the clock. However, Post-Industrialzed Dundee can be characterized by its citizens constantly learning and having leisure time.
It is for this reason that the DCA is a perfect example of Dundee’s Post-industrialism. The DCA used to be a garage but then was converted into the multipurpose space it is today. It houses two art galleries, a cinema with two screens, a print studio, and a café. Usually, on Friday nights it is buzzing with quasi-intellectuals sharing coffee before screening an independent film. Dundee seems to specialize in repurposing items from it’s industrialized past in order to turn a profit and educate its citizens for the post-industrial present. Kate’s post highlights her trip to the Discovery and to the Unicorn, two ships from Dundee’s industrial past. Today they are being used to teach visitors about the Dundee’s role in shipbuilding and whaling.
Yet, some of Dundee’s past is still undiscovered. Friday I went for a walk in Tayport near the pine tree forest that we discussed in class and was amazed to find World War II bunkers on site. When I got home I did some research and discovered two things: 1) there were only two bombs dropped on Scotland during WWII and 2) Scotland thought that Dundee was going to be a target. This in and of itself got me thinking about place, both spatially and temporally, which seem to be at the heart of each of the classes discussions. Had this been the mid 19th century, Dundee most certianly would have been a target based on its shipbuilding capibilities; Had this been the mid 18th century, it would have been a target based on its proximity to Edinburgh an Glasgow. Yet, it is hard for me to see Dundee as a threat in the 1940s, when its population was mostly unemployed and their industries crumbling.
You can listen to my podcast about Post-Industrialism, Adam Smith, and my Desire to find tiger nuts after the post.
Click this link to listen to my PodCast; There is a "listen to this MP3" link under the ad on the left side of the site.
Falkirk Wheel, Panoramic view.
Image by Cameron Lyall, GNU license Wikimedia
2 comments:
Good work with the podcast. Thanks for introducing my to Kiwi6.
I am glad you wanted to learn something new. That is what makes life fun!
Do the fresh markets form out of their weather and what they are able to grow? Just wondering here.
Although local products are the norm and certainly in abundance, the market also carries "exotic" items as well. It not only has fruits and vegetables, but also sells regional specialities like Paella, cheese, and seafood. Some of the specialties of Valencia are: oranges, satsumas, almonds, cherrys, tiger nuts, and rice. The climate is fairly warm, with an average high of 61 in January and 85 in August. I hope that gives you some more insight. I have pictures on Flikr of the Market as well, if you're interested.
Post a Comment