A Vanishing History: The History of the Uyghurs

The Uyghurs are predominantly Muslim and have been for at least several hundred years, with a rich and complex cultural history, stretching back millennia. Archaeological sites in Xinjiang showed that many in the past adhered to Buddhist beliefs.
AUTHOR ABIGAIL MANGION

A TownMouse Christmas: A Review of Fairfax House’s new Festive exhibition

In our latest article Katie Wilkinson and Ariane S. Palmas review the new festive exhibition at Fairfax House, a Georgian town house, with influences of neo-classical architecture in its standing building.

AUTHORS: KATIE WILKINSON AND ARIANE S. PALMAS

“Shrine of a King, Cradle of the Law”: The Motto of a Town Steeped in History 

Located in the heart of Suffolk, Beoderic’s Worth (later known as Bury St Edmunds) has a rich, complex history ranging from saints to rebellions to legends.

AUTHOR EMMA LE POIDEVIN

Vespasiano Da Bisticci: “King of the world’s booksellers”

An exciting review of the life and relevant work of one of the most mysterious figures of the Italian Renaissance, Italian humanist and librarian Vespasiano Da Bisticci.
AUTHOR EMMA LE POIDEVIN

Anne Neville: More than just a Footnote in History

How we see The Wars of the Roses is overwhelmingly masculine. From militant Kings and backstabbing nobles to she-wolf Queens demonised for presenting attributes equal to men, its male influence is almost inescapable. This article will try to rectify, exploring the tumultuous life of Anne Neville: Princess of Wales, Duchess of Gloucester, and Queen of England.
AUTHOR KATIE WILKINSON

A Third “Red Scare”? Bernie Sanders and the 2020 US Election

Stephanie Wilson analyses how Japan utilises the Olympic Games for political means

AUTHOR: STEPHANIE WILSON

50–350 AD, 300 Years of Conquest, Romans and Political History in York, the Capital of the North

A glimpse into the old days of York, serving as a centre of Roman power.

AUTHOR: FIN BOSWORTH

The Response of Feminist Discourse to the Contraceptive Pill, 1960-1980

The pill is often considered to have had a pivotal influence on the lives of women and the expansion of women’s rights, however contemporary feminist literature sought to counter this point of view

AUTHOR: ANNIE FINEGAN

The Wolfson 2020 History Prize Winners: A Review

Mary Taylor Lewis walks us through speeches made by the winner and shortlist of the 2020 Wolfson History prize, from the York Festival of Ideas

AUTHOR: MARY TAYLOR LEWIS

Holy Men as a Window into Late Antique Religion

An exploration into how the holy man is they key to understanding late antique religion

AUTHOR: HOLLY PALMER

2020 in History

As we enter into the new year of 2021, we take a look at some of the historical anniversaries we saw in 2020, from literature to international legislation
AUTHOR: VARIOUS

Blanke History: The untold story of the Black Tudors

Charlotte Small explores the often overlooked story of the Black Tudors through an analysis of John Blanke, a Black Tudor Musician.

AUTHOR: CHARLOTTE SMALL

War of the Worlds – BBC TV’s adaptation under the lens

Destruction! Dystopia! Deplorable? These are some of the many phrases we could choose to describe Peter Harness’ The War of the Worlds – a three-episode BBC adaptation of H.G. Wells’ 1898 novel. With… Continue reading

The Soldier’s Experience in The Face of Battle (1976)

Military history has traditionally, and continues to, have something of a poor reputation in academic circles. It seems beyond dispute that the field is the subject of much sneering at the intellectually lightweight… Continue reading

“Female Lords”: Women’s representation and restriction in the House of Lords.

Image Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sLZBWcPklk @ 01:06, UK Parliament Today, out of the 92 hereditary peers currently sitting in the House of Lords, none are women.  The House of Lords is a pivotal institution of… Continue reading

The Undeserved Legacy of Charles XII: Historiographical Failings in Military History

‘Battle of Poltava’, Pierre-Denis Martin, 1726, oil on canvas (size unknown) Charles XII of Sweden, who pulled the country into the disastrous Great Northern War at the age of only eighteen, is the… Continue reading

Netflix’s Cable Girls: A Turning Point in Spain’s National Historical Memory?

In a thrilling review, Sophie Turbutt explores changes in Spain’s historical memory through analysis of Netflix’s Cable Girls
AUTHOR: SOPHIE TURBUTT

From Technonationalism to Superficial Environmentalism: Japan’s Olympics as a Political Tool

In anticipation for the upcoming 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Stephanie Wilson analyses how Japan utilises the Olympic Games for political means
AUTHOR: STEPHANIE WILSON

An Introduction to the History of Emotions

A brief introduction to the History of Emotions

AUTHOR: LIAM GREENACRE

Histories and Stories: Narration in Historiography

An insightful examination of the multifaceted role of narration in history.
AUTHOR: VERA RATNIKOVA

Visiting Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms: Art, Word, War at The British Library

A review of the recent British Library exhibition: Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms: Art, Word, War. AUTHOR: LIAM GREENACRE

Art as Protest and Commemoration during the AIDS Crisis of the 1980s.

To mark LGBT History Month, Alice Van-Cliff explores the symbolism of art produced in response to the AIDS crisis in the 1980s.
AUTHOR: ALICE VAN-CLIFF

The Watergate Crisis: A Re-examination of the Past in the Age of Donald Trump

An insightful discussion on the Watergate Crisis in light of the on-going investigation surrounding the Trump administration.
AUTHOR: JAN SZTANKA-TOTH

Orwell and “Northernness”: The Road to Wigan Pier

Our latest article investigates George Orwell’s ‘The Road to Wigan Pier’ and what it can tell historians about perceptions of the North in 1930s Britain.
AUTHOR: GEORGIA OWEN

Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin, by Timothy Snyder.

A review of Timothy Snyder’s ‘Bloodlands’.
AUTHOR: MÅNS AHLSTEDT ÅBERG

11th of November: The story of a re-emerging nation

On the 100th anniversary of Polish independence, Jan Sztanka-Toth explores the nation’s past, and how it is commemorated in contemporary society.
AUTHOR: JAN SZTANKA-TOTH

The Vietnam War: A Moment of Change in American Foreign Policy?

This article deals with the changing state of American foreign policy and Cold War politics during the Vietnam War.
AUTHOR: KATE MESHER

The Afterlife of St Edmund: Hagiography, Cults, Multimedia and Tourism

Very little is known about St Edmund’s life. Our latest article explores his legacy, and how his image has been shaped and changed to serve different purposes throughout history.
AUTHOR: LIAM GREENACRE

Ideology and Identity in sixth-century Ravenna

In our latest article, Liam Greenacre explores King Theodoric’s attempts to manage and shape Gothic and Roman identities in sixth-century Italy. AUTHOR: LIAM GREENACRE

Charlottesville, Statues, Free Speech and History

A thought-provoking evaluation of the historian’s role in contemporary debates around statue destruction.
AUTHOR: JACK HARVEY

The ‘Popish Plot’: Titus Oates and ‘Alternative Facts’ in Seventeenth-Century Britain

In 1681, a fictional Popish Plot went too far. Perhaps ‘alternative facts’ are not unique to the twenty-first century…
AUTHOR: SOPHIE TURBUTT

The development of America: identity and the language of revolution

How far an American Identity had developed by 1776 is widely debated among historians. This article considers some of the facets of identity and assesses how far a uniquely American one had developed by the outbreak of the War of Independence.
AUTHOR: VICTORIA BETTNEY

Anti-Irish Sentiment in Modern Britain

This article considers the development of anti-Irish sentiment in modern Britain, using a range of evidence to show the changes and continuities in the depiction of the Irish.
AUTHOR: ENYA HOLLAND

A Million Years in a Day, by Greg Jenner (2015)

A review of A Million Years in a Day: A Curious History of Daily Life from the Stone Age to the Phone Age (2015), by Greg Jenner.

AUTHOR: VICTORIA BETTNEY

Why Has Anglo Saxon York Been Forgotten?

Usually when we think of York, we think of the Vikings. Why has York’s Anglo Saxon history been overlooked?
AUTHOR: ELSA ROBINSON

The Smithsonian Institute: a Review

In our latest article, Victoria Bettney reviews the Smithsonian Institute, an institute which aims to share knowledge with the anyone interested in its contents.
AUTHOR: VICTORIA BETTNEY

Hayden White: An Introduction

What is the purpose of history? The works of divisive theorist Hayden White tackle this most controversial dilemma.
AUTHOR: LIAM GREENACRE

“Their Name Liveth For Evermore”: Memorialisation of the First World War in York

The meanings expressed in, and drawn from, memorials are contested by historians. What can York’s First World War memorials offer to the debate?
AUTHOR: SOPHIE TURBUTT

Propaganda during the Hundred Years’ War

The use of propaganda was integral to the Hundred Years’ War. Was Christine de Pizan involved in its production?
AUTHOR: ELSA ROBINSON

Chocolate and Feminism: Exploring the Changing Role of Women in Rowntree’s Chocolate and Cocoa Advertisements, 1930-1960

Our latest article considers the changing status of women in Rowntree’s chocolate and cocoa advertisements between 1930 and 1960.
AUTHOR: ELEANOR OLIVER

The York Historian Meets: Oleg Benesch

The York Historian meets University of York lecturer, Oleg Benesch

Reagan: a Critical Analysis

This article offers a critical exploration of the Ronald Reagan years by focusing on his economic, foreign and social policies.
AUTHOR: JAMES BASTIN

1666: Plague, War and Hellfire, by Rebecca Rideal (2016)

A Review of 1666: Plague, War and Hellfire, by Rebecca Rideal (2016).
AUTHOR: JESS AYRES

‘The Norman Yoke’: Uses of the Past During the English Civil War

In this article, Liam Greenacre considers the use of the Norman Conquest of 1066 during the 17th century English Civil War, contrasting the perceived utopian age with the realities of living under foreign rule.
AUTHOR: LIAM GREENACRE

“Be the Heroine of your Life”: Five Inspirational Women From History Assessed

This article looks five women from across history from vastly different backgrounds. The background of each woman is assessed, and a judgement made on their lasting contributions to society.
AUTHOR: VICTORIA BETTNEY AND OTHERS

Life, Death and Contamination in Classical Athens (5th Century BC)

This article explores how contamination was perceived in everyday life in Athens.
AUTHOR: VANIA BUSO

Erasing The Holocaust

This article explores the origins of Holocaust denial, and considers the role of the historian in overcoming it.
AUTHOR: CATHERINE METCALFE

Hull: a History

Kingston-Upon-Hull’s history has been very varied, from establishing the largest travelling fair in Europe to it being one of the worst bombed British cities in the Second World War. This article considers some of Hull’s history, and how this history ties in with its future.
AUTHOR: VICTORIA BETTNEY

The Life of St. Gerald of Aurillac and Secular Sanctity in the Carolingian Empire

How did Gerald of Aurillac reconcile his roles as both a secular aristocrat and a cleric? This article explores that dilemma by analysing Odo of Cluny’s ‘Vita Geraldi’.
AUTHOR: LIAM GREENACRE

Friendships, Lesbianism and Identity in Victorian Britain

At first it appears that Victorian Britain controlled the expression of female sexuality. This article explores female friendships and societal understanding of female sexuality and identity, exploring their relationship to a ‘lesbian identity’.
AUTHOR: LAUREN MILLER