Analogies to the Second World War are a recurring theme in modern British history. The seeming orthodoxy in Britain in 2020 is that the nation is at war, on a scale not known since the Second World War. The enemy, this time the coronavirus, is invisible to the naked eye.
The last fortnight has seen many statues associated with racism and colonialism torn down. When were they originally put up, and what can that tell about the history of whiteness and empire? Peter Hill explores.
When, how, and why did skin colour matter in early modern Europe? Hannah Murphy explores how science could make the known strange.
As debate about Obeah – spiritual and healing practices – erupts in Jamaica, Diana Paton argues that laws against obeah have historically worked to uphold colonial power and to harass poor people.
Alaya Swann explores connections between white supremacy and Dungeons and Dragons online communities, focusing on the perpetuation of the myth of a white medieval Europe.
Kieran Connell takes us through his personal journey on what brought him to researching Handsworth, an inner city locality in Birmingham, and what it might tell us about multiculturalism in modern Britain.
What did Peterloo mean in an international context? Shirin Hirsch investigates the connections between Peterloo and a global struggle for freedom.
