Film in History – not a ‘proper’ pursuit?
My history lecturer recently suggested that studying film in history is not ‘proper history’. I disagree. Film can impact what happens in the past itself. A peculiar episode occurred in 1914 when Pancho Villa struck a deal with American newsreel company ‘Mutual Film’ during the Mexican Revolution, allowing the company to have exclusive permission to…
No Trust in Truss
Inflation at 9.9%. Gas prices up 450% from September 2021. The economy on the brink of a gruelling recession. These are the immediate issues Liz Truss promises to fix upon being elected leader of the Tory party. With one in every 3 children living in poverty in the UK (a figure which shows no sign…
The British Problem
With the sentiment of Scottish independence looming large, the matter of Britain is as pressing as ever. From this arises the question how much the ‘matter of Britain’ has had an impact on history? Looking back at 17th century Britain, we see that these nations have never lived in isolated bubbles and an appreciation of…
The Beginning of Globalisation – Ancient World Trade Systems
While temporarily dampened by the onslaught of Covid-19, China dominates global trade. However, this is no new feature of Chinese History, as this study into Tang-Abbasid trade between the 7th to 10th centuries shows. The paper below reveals the social and economic impacts of this incredible phenomenon, creating a context from which we can potentially…
Gender Rigidity and Fluidity in History
Has the Construct of gender been more harmful or beneficial to humanity throughout history? We see the construct of gender centre-stage when Queen Elizabeth could only reassure and motivate her troops before the battle of Tilbury in August 1588 by saying, “I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I…
Capitalising on the Cosmos: Space Oddity or Champgane Supernova?
How could increase in government investment in space exploration revolutionise the UK’s economy? Triolovsky, a Russian scientist, said, ‘Earth is the cradle of humanity, but one cannot live in the cradle for ever’ . This holds true for economics, which no longer lives in the bounds of earth but has extended to the great cosmos. …
False Connections – Past and Present
To what extent are we living in an ‘eternal present’, with a loss of connection to the past? The inevitable connection Abraham Lincoln said, “Fellow citizens we cannot escape history”. By history, I understand that he meant the past. Indeed Abraham, the past is inescapable. Every single thing in our present-day world is here as…
The Legal Arms Race to Mars
Imagine. In 50 years, there is a population of 1 million living on Mars. A prosperous mining industry exists there, preparing their next shipment of platinum from the asteroids to earth. This really could happen, but the law needs to be in place quickly. In 1967, when the Outer Space treaty was created, they…
“Poland Has Not Perished Yet.”
“Jeszce Polska nie zginęła” Above is the first line to Poland’s national anthem. It means “Poland has not perished yet”. This declaration seems less true every day, as the country appears to be spiralling into an undemocratic one-party state. Extremist groups are on the rise all around the world. From the dire situation in Orban’s…
Cancel Culture – Myth or Foe of Free Speech?
Reading about denunciation under the Stalinist regime. Scrolling through your Twitter feed. History repeating itself. Sensationalist exaggeration? Completely. We are not quite there yet. Nevertheless, many people are arguing that the Cancel Culture has gone too far and freedom of speech is under threat. Particularly those 150 artists, writers and academics who signed ‘the letter’ defending…
Follow My Blog
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
Stamp’s Post 