IT’S the kilted adventure series that’s made megastars of its cast, turned its author into a heroine and birthed a world of fan fiction.
But is the multimedia, time- travelling, genre-crossing Outlander universe really worthy of a four-day academic conference?
The Glasgow University experts set to stage the world-first event next summer say the most unbelievable thing about their summit is that its value could be questioned at all.
“I come across this all the time,” says literature and fantasy fiction expert Dr Dimitra Fimi.
“It’s a very elitist proposition. “Just because people like something doesn’t mean it’s not good.”
People certainly do like author Diana Gabaldon’s politically charged vision of the Jacobite era, which is told through the relationship between English nurse Claire, an accidental time traveller from the post Second World War era, and Scots rebel Jamie.
Through novels and a big-money TV adaptation which is entering into its fifth series, the pair traverse the Highlands, contend with Red Coats and travel first to Europe and Jamaica and then the USA.
The meticulously researched series delves into big issues these countries are still grappling with, such as slavery, imperialism and equality.
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More than 26 million books have been sold and the saga has spawned a mass of spin-off material.
Leading man Sam Heughan has been suggested as a potential future Bond – one of Western cinema’s most iconic male roles – and lead woman Caitriona Balfe has just made racing drama Le Mans ‘66 with Matt Damon and Christian Bale.
Series five starts next year, which is expected to encourage more international fans to retrace the characters’ steps by visiting Scotland.
The impact is so extreme – a rise of 887,000 to 1.5m visitors to key locations since 2013 – that Gabaldon, who will deliver a keynote speech at the June summit, has been honoured with a special tourism award.
Much of the meticulousness of the research into Gaelic and Scots costumes, customs and life which makes Outlander so popular is the result of advice from Glasgow University’s own expert staff, including Celtic and Gaelic lecturer Gillebride MacMillan, who’s known to viewers as Gwyllyn the Bard for his series one turn.
Outlander, he says, changed his life, but that’s not the only reason he’s excited about the upcoming conference, which follows on from similar events held overseas on pop culture phenomenons such as cult Joss Whedon series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
“There are lots of Outlander fan events, but this is the first academic conference,” he says. “We can do lots of good by using it to give people information about archaeology, language, culture and battle studies.
“You’re dealing with big issues here – Jacobites, immigration to North America and the migrant experience, colonialism, war. “There are so many facets ripe for academic scrutiny and many of the people working at the university are involved in these areas of research.” For Fimi, Outlander’s value isn’t just in the historical detail or parallels with contemporary issues, it’s in the fantastical elements.
Glasgow University teaches the world’s only masters on fantasy and the Tolkien expert says much is often dismissed as lightweight.
‘‘It can still take a while for people to get out of that very narrow view of underestimating its worth for study, or its quality, says Fimi.
‘‘Outlander is a phenomenon.”
Despite that level of interest and the ripple of excitement that reached around the world after Friday’s announcement, Glasgow University, which was also used as an Outlander filming location, does not expect to make a profit from the conference.
“We’ll break even,” says MacMillan, “We’re not doing this for commercial reasons.”
However, the Sunday National understands that talks are being held with other arts and culture organisations about potential partnerships around the summit, which could include events programmed with the public in mind.
More details are expected to follow in the coming months.
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“We have to remember that this is an academic institution,” says MacMillan, “But we can focus on knowledge exchange and getting people from all walks of life who may have little interest in the academics on board and into these subject areas.
“What Outlander has done for Scotland is incredible.
“The amount that’s gone into it and the impact that it’s had are incredible.
“That’s definitely worth studying.”
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