Elizabeth Ritchie

Dr. Elizabeth Ritchie is a Senior Lecturer in Scottish History at the University of the Highlands and Islands' Centre for History. She holds a PhD from Guelph University (Ontario) on 'The faith of the crofters: Skye and South Uist, 1793-1843'. Her research focuses on 18th-19th century Highland social/cultural history, emphasizing religion, education, land use, and family dynamics. She explores topics like evangelicalism's impact on family life and Scottish emigration to Canada. Active in community engagement, she collaborates with heritage groups and schools.

Her teaching spans Scottish/North American history, including modules on Highland socio-economic change, Canadian history, and gender studies. She supervises PhD students on Highland history (1700-1900) and Scottish emigration. Notable supervisions include studies on Badenoch's economic history, Patagonian emigration, and whisky distilling history.

Ritchie's research integrates fieldwork with archival analysis, exemplified by her work on Nancy Smibert's emigrant experiences. She contributes to public history through museum collaborations (e.g., Historylinks Museum), blogs, and exhibitions like the National Museum of Scotland's 'Wild and Majestic' exhibit. Her work emphasizes underrepresented narratives, particularly women's labor and rural family economies.