The Roman triumph was one including military, religious and political aspects. Holding a triumph was the highest honour for a Roman, the peak of a political career. There is no question that it evolved throughout history and this article will enfold the effect of these on the rise of charismatic, autocratic leaders and the fall […]
Belgium achieved a definitive moment in the changing understanding of suicide when it legalised euthanasia with a vote of 86-44 in parliament last month. Euthanasia in Belgium, which has been legal for the past 12 years, has now been extended to include children, advocating ‘the right to die’ for all ages. This radical debate over […]
We all have images of life on the front line during the First World War: young men in uniforms, trenches, guns and tanks. But occasionally we are given a more personal insight into real experiences of the war. We were given such an insight upon the discovery of the notebooks of Nurse Mabel Earp last […]
Our morbid fascination of crime is never more virulent than in the case of the serial killer. Evie Hull looks at serial killers throughout the ages. Capital punishment has historically focussed on the criminal facing the death penalty. George Scrafton explores the intriguing world of the executioner.
The 28th June 1914 not only marked the anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo in which the Ottoman army defeated the Serbians at tremendous human cost, it commemorated the 14th wedding anniversary of Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. Crucially, it would also mark the beginning of the July Crisis in the lead up to […]
Over the last few months, much has been made of George Osborne’s plans to devolve a significant amount of power from Westminster to Manchester. Osborne described ‘devo-Manc’ as a ‘massive moment’ while Labour claims that the Tories are years late to the devolution party. Meanwhile, campaigning and community groups across Manchester are up in arms, […]
Why are women always excluded from the retelling of historical events? This overlooked segment of the population plays a far greater role in rebellions and the resistance than we are led to believe. In the Algerian revolution women proved indispensable, holding greater importance to the resistance than their male counterparts. This article aims to rectify […]
Simon Tseko Nkoli (1957 – 1998) was an anti-apartheid leader and gay rights campaigner in South Africa. He has a legacy of intersectional activism, winning victories against both racial and homophobic discrimination. The 1919 Race Riots, and its greatest tragedy, the ‘lynching’ of 24-year-old Charles Wotten, are some of the most violent periods of racial […]
20 years it took for their cherished novel to finally reach television screens were most likely spent anticipating the disappointment they would inevitably feel. How could a TV adaptation of a tale that pushes all human emotion to the very brink of despair, embodied in the charming Stephen Wraysford (played by Eddie Redmayne), ever replicate […]
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” When conflict broke out between bands of American revolutionaries and British soldiers in April 1775, few had the ultimate objective […]
Upon reading that Nicole Kidman was paid $12 million to star in a Baz Luhrmann-directed movie, one would naturally assume that the end product was a full-length blockbuster. However, these were the extraordinary lengths taken to complete ‘No. 5: The Film’, an advertisement for Chanel lasting all of 180 seconds. While this commercial ran in […]
This article is a contribution from our recent collaboration with pupils at Cedar Mount Academy. Who was Len Johnson? Len Johnson was a black British boxer and communist who competed from 1920 to 1933. He was born in Clayton, Manchester in October 1902. His father was from Sierra Leone, while his mother was born in […]
Whether it is Ellen’s world-breaking selfie, Leonardo DiCaprio’s agonising wait or that La La Land/Moonlight awkward moment, the Academy Awards always attracts huge global attention. Every January the nominations for the upcoming Academy Awards are announced, leaving anticipation to build until winners are revealed at the coveted ceremony at the end of February. Since its […]
What brought you back to Manchester? I just love Manchester as a city and I’ve always found the History department incredibly friendly, supportive and welcoming. I studied for my MA here and knew that I wanted to return. I noticed that while the department covers such a range of history, there was a gap in […]
