Aileen Christianson

Aileen Christianson (8 August 1944 – 12 June 2020) was Senior Lecturer in the Department of English Literature at the University of Edinburgh. She was well known as a scholar of Scottish literature and women's writing, and as senior editor of 'The Collected Letters of Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle'^[1][2] and of collections of Scottish women's writing.^[3][4] Her experience over decades made her a recognised authority on both Carlyles. She gained an MA (hons.) in English and History from the University of Aberdeen in 1966.

Aileen Christianson
Born	(1944-08-08)8 August 1944 Rhos, Clwyd
Died	12 June 2020(2020-06-12) (aged 75) Edinburgh
Known for	Scottish Literature, Scholarly Writings, Women's Literature, Feminist, Campaigner

She worked as a researcher and taught as a lecturer and senior lecturer.^[5] Her teaching covered mainly nineteenth and twentieth century Scottish women's writing. She published a full-length critical study of the writings of Willa Muir.^[6] Aileen was recognised for her outstanding contribution to Scottish Literature and the Arts by the Saltire Society in 2019^[7]

She was a long-time supporter of the organisation Rape Crisis Scotland,^[8] a network of centres that provide support to campaign and lobby to raise awareness of the issues of sexual violence. Rape Crisis Scotland centres were established in Glasgow in 1976 and in Edinburgh in 1978.^[9] Aileen was a member of the Rape Crisis Centre Collective from 1978 to 1996.

She died in Edinburgh on 12 June 2020 from cancer during a period of national lockdown caused by COVID-19.^[10][11][12]

References

1. Carlyle, Thomas (2018). The collected letters of Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle. Sanders, Charles Richard; Ryals, Clyde de L.; Fielding, Kenneth J.; Campbell, Ian (Duke-Edinburgh ed.). Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-0240-7. OCLC 112513.
2. Carlyle, Jane Welsh (2001). Jane Welch Carlyle: "The simple story of my own first love". Fielding, Kenneth J.; Campbell, Ian; Christianson, Aileen. Carlyle Letters (Project), Carlyles in Europe Conference, 2001; Edinburgh, Scotland: Carlyle Letters, Dept. of English Literature, University of Edinburgh. ISBN 1-85933-013-4. OCLC 47938229.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
3. Anderson, Carol; Christianson, Aileen, eds. (2000). Scottish women's fiction, 1920s to 1960s: journeys into being. East Linton, East Lothian: Tuckwell Press. ISBN 1-86232-082-9. OCLC 43720089.
4. Christianson, Aileen; Lumsden, Alison, eds. (2000). Contemporary Scottish women writers. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 978-1-4744-6571-7. OCLC 606366496.
5. "Ms Aileen Christianson". University of Edinburgh Research Explorer.
6. Christianson, Aileen (2007). Moving in circles: Willa Muir's writings. Edinburgh: Word Power Books. ISBN 978-0-9549185-5-2. OCLC 191597646.
7. "The Saltire Society Honour Scotland's Greatest Contributors at Prestigious Fletcher of Saltoun Awards". Saltire Society. 26 September 2019.
8. "Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre: Forty Years of Feminist Support and Activism". Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre. 18 December 2018.
9. . British Library. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
10. "Aileen Christianson". Glasgow Herald. 22 June 2020.
11. Gow, David (23 June 2020). "Aileen Christianson obituary". The Guardian.
12. "Obituary: Aileen Christianson, feminist academic and author". The Scotsman. 26 June 2020.