The Marxist economic historian Eric Hobsbawm, who has died aged 95, was regarded internationally as one of most the prominent British historians, his works being number one on the reading list for every student with an interest in modern history. Born in 1917, Hobsbawm grew up in Egypt, Vienna and Berlin, where he witnessed the […]
Lance Armstrong: seven times Tour de France winner, cancer survivor, and the biggest drugs cheat in the history of sport. Before 2012-2013 Lance Armstrong was considered by many to be the greatest cyclist the sport had ever seen. He had won the illustrious Tour de France a record-breaking seven consecutive times in 1999, 2000, 2001, […]
When launching the annual Bruntwood Playwriting Prize at the Royal Exchange in Manchester earlier this year, Dame Jenni Murray stated the importance of strong roles for women. She was, however, preaching to the converted. The Exchange’s Autumn/Winter season has had many such roles (not least among them was Lady in Orpheus Descending) and it ends […]
While Chanukah (or Hanukkah) has been a Jewish festival for centuries, it did not become a major event in Jewish life until the twentieth century. Corinne Abrahams review the evolution of Hannukah, from nationalist celebration to Christmas competitor. James Green looks at how bagels and other Jewish baking became staples in the West.
What do Björk, Massive Attack and Neil Young have in common? Despite the temptation to reply, people I’ve cried to in the car (looking at you middle-aged men still stuck in the hacienda), it might surprise you that each act has been part of a larger global effort to fight climate change with music. In […]
Manchester city is known for being culturally diverse. There are different reasons as to the source of Manchester’s diversity. Firstly, Manchester became diverse due to its extensive history of migration from different parts of Europe and the world. Secondly, Manchester was the world’s first industrialised city that drove the industrial revolution and this drew people […]
The recent centenary of WWI was marked by BBC3’s ‘Our World War’, an attempt to engage a new generation with such a massive event. The three-part programme is a compelling mixture of historical and social drama, based on real diaries of British soldiers from 1914-1918. All the archetypal aspects of a war drama are present: […]
The ideological movement that developed in Europe during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, known universally as “The Enlightenment”, had a significant impact on the struggle for American independence. The ‘American Enlightenment’ combined an engaging political scene with a proactive military objective for sovereignty, creating a revolutionary war that was unparalleled in scope or ferocity in […]
The Iron Lady or a woman conforming to patriarchal expectations in 1980s Britain? A Feminist icon or the feminine face of patriarchal politics? Since the end of her almost twelve-year term as Prime Minister in 1990, the legacy of Margaret Thatcher is one that has been widely debated in Britain. “Labour isn’t working” read the […]
President of the History Society Jamie Lawless speaks candidly to Henry Lee about life in the public eye, ‘that ball’ in 2012 and how he’s got himself back on track in 2013 in his first public interview. For a man with such responsibility on his shoulders, on first impressions Jamie Lawless has the demeanour of […]
In 1484, Pope Innocent VIII issued the summis desiderantes affectibus, a papal bull that recognised the existence of witches and gave full papal approval to hunt them. In the early modern period, between 40,000 and 50,000 people were accused of being witches, and were executed for their alleged crimes. Coincided with this, early modern Europe […]
The story of the Battle of Agincourt follows the age-old narrative of the beloved underdog rising against the odds. A legacy of victory and glory would become synonymous with Henry V after this epic episode in medieval history. An idyllic tale of knights, courage and king; it is recounted even in modern memory, but how […]
The invention of the light bulb was a process that took the scientific community the best part of the 19th century to complete and perfect. It was on 27 January 1880 that Thomas Edison, a relative newcomer to the field of research, was able to patent his light bulb design and make it ready for […]
What brought you to Manchester, and what was it like to live and study here? I grew up in Blackpool. Manchester was the nearest large city with a very good academic reputation. I opted for a Hall of Residence. I ended up at a Catholic one operated by the Order Opus Dei, well before it […]