History Today

Richard Cavendish explores a classical curiosity shop - The Sir John Soane Museum in London.

David Lowenthal considers how self-image affects nations' history-writing and identities.

Dimitris Kyratas looks at the ambiguities of treatment for those formally excluded from an 'all men are equal...' formula.

Ann Hills investigates Romania's rural rescue scheme.

François Hartog on how urban living has coincided with the advocacy of popular rule from Plato through to Machiavelli, Rousseau and 20th-century sociologists.

Were art and religion inevitable victims of war? David Colvin and Richard Hodges discuss the action and the issues it raised - including testimony from a surviving witness from the monastic community.

Was Napoleon's escape from his first exile unwittingly aided by his erstwhile opponents from Albion? Katharine MacDonogh weighs up the enigmatic response that certain British citizens showed towards their imperial prisoner.

Brent Shaw offers a reassessment of the women martyrs and heroines whose activities on behalf of the faith provoked unsettled admiration from the church fathers.

Tony Aldous looks into the recently founded Historic Chapels Trust.

Ian MacDonald looks at how the Edwardian political battle on tariff reform and the career of Joseph Chamberlain was advanced via the postcard.