Category Archive: Uncategorized

Why did Hospital Medicine Emerge in Paris?

Lauren Cheetham-Birmingham explores the interesting development of hospital medicine in Paris during the 19th century.

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

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

Anti-Irish Sentiment in Early Modern Britain

Modern attitudes towards the Irish have a complex history, beginning in the Early Modern period. This article explores the evolution of Anti-Irish sentiment in this period, charting its changes and various forms.
AUTHOR: ENYA HOLLAND

Essaying the Past: How to Read, Write and Think about History, by Jim Cullen (2017)

A review of the third edition of Jim Cullen’s Essaying the Past: How to Read, Write, and Think about History.
AUTHOR: Victoria Bettney and others.

The York Historian Meets: Michael Walkden

“The university historian doesn’t have to be the only gatekeeper of the truth of the past.”
The York Historian’s Paul Kerr meets PhD student, Michael Walkden.

Banners and Blazons: Introducing Heraldry to History.

A whistle-stop tour of Heraldry offers us an improved, clarified understanding of its usage and shows some of the common misconceptions.
AUTHOR: AZAM CAESAR

‘The settlement must be for an agreed and united Ireland.’ The British Labour Party and its view on the Constitutional Legitimacy of Northern Ireland, 1945 to the present.

Northern Ireland’s political structure was dependent on the stability of its political climate and was largely shaped by its relations with Britain.
WRITTEN BY VICTORIA BETTNEY

Does Life on Mars authentically recreate the 1970s?

10 years ago, the popular TV series Life on Mars ran. How authentically did it portray the 1970s?
AUTHOR: WILL LLOYD-REGAN

The Rise and Fall of Edmund Dudley: the “hawk” of Henry VII?

Should we take the negative reputation of infamous Henrician minister Edmund Dudley at face value? This article outlines his life and career in order to explore the realities of his representation.
AUTHOR: LAURA FLANNIGAN

The Fall of the Ancien Régime

The role of literacy, the rising middle class, and the decline of the Church were all factors in the Ancien Régime’s steady demise, this article shows.
AUTHOR: LAUREN MILLER

Margaret Thatcher and Gender

An exploration of Margaret Thatcher’s place in gender politics and feminism. Thatcher was unique as both a force for and against feminism.
AUTHOR: VICTORIA BETTNEY

John Dee: Science, Occult and Empire

Inspired by a recent exhibition at the Royal Society of Physicians, this article explore the life and achievements of polymath John Dee, with a focus on his progressive views on navigation and empire.
AUTHOR: LAUREN MILLER