On the 15th and 16th of April Rachel Moss and Mark Rothery, both of the History department, hosted an online conference exploring letters in history, as primary sources and as themes for research. Over 100 delegates registered and attended the conference, it was very successful and enjoyable, we all learnt a lot! The delegates were... Continue Reading →
Teaching Emotions in History: A New Module
I'm designing a new module for our MA History programme, provisionally called 'Emotions in History'. The module picks up on exciting new directions in historical research focusing on the way people felt in the past and how emotions have changed across history.
Podcasting History: A Beginner’s (Idiot’s) Guide
Some time ago we (Mark Rothery and Paul Jackson) decided to launch a podcast. We wanted to discuss history but to make it topical and current, linking it to current affairs. We called it Beyond Histories. Historians often think about current affairs and politics and linking these to historic examples they can think of, but... Continue Reading →
Podcasting History: A Beginner’s (Idiot’s) Guide
Some time ago we (Mark Rothery and Paul Jackson) decided to launch a podcast. We wanted to discuss history but to make it topical and current, linking it to current affairs. We called it Beyond Histories. Historians are continually thinking about current affairs and politics and linking these to historic examples they can think of,... Continue Reading →
James Boswell Under ‘Lockdown’ in Eighteenth Century London
Recently reading James Boswell’s London Journal I came across a period when due to Gonorrhoea, Boswell decided to isolate himself from the rest of the world and society at large apart from a few select individuals who were permitted to see him. Boswell is most famous for his work as a diarist and biographer. His... Continue Reading →
The Elites are Cummings
Dominic Cummings has been in the news lately, you may have noticed. He drove, whilst infected with COVID-19, from Islington to County Durham, with his family. He then took them on a tour of County Durham, whilst infected, and after having been discovered defended his actions, supported by the PM and the government he advises.... Continue Reading →
Recipes: Spicy Chickpeas
This one is adapted from a BBC Good Food recipe. In general it has hot chilli notes to it but for families with young children you can tone down the levels of fire as I have done here. It works really well as a hearty vegetarian dish because the chickpeas and cauliflower give it a... Continue Reading →
Recipes: Tuna Pasta
Following on from Drew's soup here are a few of my store-cupboard favourites, beginning with Tuna Pasta. No pictures because I'm not cooking this tonight (actually I'm writing this while cooking something else). I was given this recipe by a mate of mine from southern Italy in halls at university as an undergraduate. I was... Continue Reading →
What is anxiety and does it have a history?
Anxiety is a very common problem, part of a wider range of mental health issues in any given society. Here are some stats: According to MIND one in four people in the UK suffer mental health problems each day MIND statistics. Overall estimates suggest that one in six of us will report an anxiety problem in... Continue Reading →
Embarking on an Masters Dissertation in History
The prospect of selecting a master’s dissertation subject can be a daunting one, particularly if, like me, you’ve had a 22-year hiatus since your last foray into higher education. I must admit I was in something of a quandary; it had been so long since I had undertaken any form of historical study that I... Continue Reading →
HISTORY AT NORTHAMPTON 