Weather, climate, human impacts and human responses in early modern Scotland (c.1600-c.1700) University of Dundee

Overview

Due to its geographical position at the North East corner of the Atlantic Ocean, Scotland was particularly affected by climate change in the early modern period, most notoriously during the 'Seven Ill Years' of the 1690s Maunder Minimum period. The goal of this Weather, climate, human impacts and human responses in early modern Scotland (c.1600-c.1700) project at University of Dundee is to place that crisis in a longer-term perspective and provide insights into how people understand and respond to climate change.

Research strategy

It will apply a proven methodology combining quantitative and qualitative analysis of surviving written records. At its core are the records of the courts of the Church of Scotland, a research resource unique in early modern Europe in geographical coverage, susceptibility to weather impacts, and tendency to record those impacts. Alongside those, other administrative sources and personal writings (diaries and correspondence) will enhance the qualitative analysis of the weather patterns recorded in those ecclesiastical records by providing complementary evidence for social responses and human attitudes to weather and climate.