Dartmoor Prison is Founded
Richard Cavendish marks the founding of a famous Victorian penitentiary, on March 20th, 1806.
Social
Mothering India
The Theosophists Helena Blavatsky, Annie Besant, Margaret Cousins and others went to India at the end of the 19th century to search for God and universal brotherhood in the Hindu tradition. They also ended up supporting women’s rights against contemporary Hindu practices. Mark Bevir explores the tensions between their fascination with traditional culture and the reforming zeal of their proto-feminism.
Florence Nightingale as a Social Reformer
Lynn McDonald describes the lasting impact of Florence Nightingale on improving public health for the poor.
The Man who Hated Caricature
Cartoon historian Mark Bryant examines the origins of caricature itself, and the ambivalent attitude to it of the man whose name has become synonymous with the emergence of the art in Britain.
The White Rose and the Definition of ‘Resistance’
Simon Henderson explains the significance of Hans and Sophie Scholl in the history of Nazi Germany.
'Dev’: the career of Eamon de Valera
Phil Chapple examines a titanic and controversial figure in modern Irish history.
The Soviet Economy – an Experiment that was Bound to Fail?
Vincent Barnett contrasts Marxist idealism with the changing economic reality in the USSR.
Trade Unions in the USA
Mark Rathbone considers why American trade unionism was so violent for much of 1865-1980 but so much more peaceful by the mid-twentieth century.
The Call of the Crusades
An idea promoted by Pope Urban II at the end of the 11th century continues to resonate in modern politics. Jonathan Phillips traces the 800-year history of ‘Crusade’ and its power as a concept that shows no sign of diminishing.
Childhood in the Roman Empire
Ray Laurence considers how children were seen in ancient Rome and looks at some of the harsher aspects of childhood – sickness, violence and endless work.