Britain had formally governed the Indian subcontinent from 1858, although its influence there had been growing for the previous two centuries. India was considered the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. Political, ethnic and regional movements in India were opposed to being part of a foreign Empire, and...

The idea behind this edition emerged from a discussion on how we ought to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of Indian independence. From that, our discussions widened to consider how empires end in general, and to discover where new thinking about this can help us understand the dynamics of Empire. Most...

Each summer the HA holds an awards evening. The awards cover a number of important areas of the Association’s outreach work, its values and the roles of its members and supporters. Mary Beard awarded Medlicott Medal Newly-appointed HA President Professor Tony Badger introduced one of the high points of the HA...

The act of writing is a potentially daunting process. It is the source of so much angst during our primary years as we struggle to master the complicated mechanics that will allow us to commit our ideas to paper. The purpose of writing is, of course, communication and this one...

Narratives speak far beyond the facts they contain. The very act of choosing two facts to put together in a sequence, and the way they are put together - whether implying causality, linkage or independence – sends messages to the reader which can be radically different from those in another...

Tony Badger is Professor in American History at Northumbria University with a distinguished career and reputation amongst his peers. He has been in senior roles at the University of Cambridge and published widely. “I am delighted to be able to work with Tony over the next few years. He is...

We are delighted to announce that the Medlicott Medal for 2017 has been awarded to Professor Mary Beard OBE FSA FBA. Mary Beard is known to many through her television and radio work and her highly acclaimed books. She is Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge and editor...

The Historical Association is committed to opposing prejudice and racism. It is a keen advocate of ensuring that young people learn about diverse histories and difficult historical events. Over the last few days there has been some coverage about a resource used by a Kent school to teach about the...

The Historical Association Annual Conference is always an exciting time – an opportunity to listen to expert speakers, share ideas, discuss different approaches, learn something new, meet with  old friends, make new ones and generally embrace history geekdom. This year in Manchester was no exception. Over 350 people descended on...

This edition of The Historian sets out particularly to celebrate the life of Asa Briggs. It focuses on his work and achievements as an historian, in the widest possible sense of being someone who shaped the discipline as well as inspiring others through his research, teaching and writing. This is...