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Transformative Humanities framework launched

Durham University's Transformative Humanities launched yesterday and gathered more than 130 researchers, colleagues, students, and partners from across the region and beyond to celebrate this new interdisciplinary framework.
Transformative Humanities launch news banner

World Refugee Day 2024: Hannah Rose Thomas and Tears of Gold

This World Refugee Day we hear from one of our History and Arabic graduates, Hannah Rose Thomas, as she discusses her inspirational new book, Tears of Gold: Portraits of Yazidi, Rohingya, and Nigerian Women.
A portrait of a displaced woman

Histories of Scottish Politics in the Age of Union, c.1700-1945

Registration is now open for the conference Histories of Scottish Politics in the Age of Union, c.1700-1945, taking place at Durham University, Tuesday-Wednesday 23-24 July 2024.
A line drawing in black and white of a gathering of people

How medieval chroniclers interpreted solar eclipses and other celestial events

The evolution of technology has allowed scientists to analyse celestial events in much greater detail. Medieval chroniclers didn’t have that luxury but Giles Gasper in our History department and Brian Tanner in our Physics department say that doesn’t mean there isn’t lots we can learn from the ways in which they talked about these events and understood the universe.
Stars in the solar system depicting a celestial event

Award Winners: Durham University's Global Curriculum Award

Massive congratulations to Professor Jonathan Saha, Dr Radha Kapuria, and Dr Chris Bahl for winning the Durham University's Global Curriculum Award 2024.
Photo of Prof Jonathan Saha, Dr Radha Kapuria, and Dr Chris Bahl

How 16th century survivors of wartime sexual violence found justice

Dr Tom Hamilton from our Department of History has discovered criminal records revealing a rare, 400-year-old legal case which successfully prosecuted a soldier for sexual crimes during Europe’s notoriously violent Wars of Religion.
Sixteenth century image of Murder of the Protestants at Sens, 1562

Launching Environmental Histories and Futures of the North East

The Environmental Histories and Futures of the North East (EHFNE) project brings together North East academic researchers in the social sciences and humanities and community organisations to create opportunities for dialogue and collaboration. The project aims to foster future research partnerships that centre local interests and community priorities through regular seminars and community steering group meetings.
A group of students and staff in a seminar room

Festive traditions were once a foodie adventure

Winter celebrations such as Christmas and New Year have long been associated with feasting. But, what are now seen as festive food traditions (think mince pies and richly spiced fruit cakes) were once a bold and daring foodie adventure.
Mince pies on a platter

Sixty years of Kingsgate Bridge

This year marks the 60th anniversary of one of Durham’s most striking bridges.
People on Kingsgate Bridge with Durham Cathedral in the background

The revival of nineteenth-century political history

In 2023, Durham University hosted a major two-day conference on nineteenth-century political history. Organise! Organise! Organise! Collective Action, Associational Culture and the Politics of Organisation in Britain and Ireland, c.1790-1914 was run by Dr Naomi Lloyd-Jones, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the History Department. Photo credit: Dr Kathryn Rix
Photograph of two participants at the Organise! Organise! Organise! Conference, sitting behind a table. They are smiling at the camera. The table has microphones and papers, laptops and jugs and glasses of water.

Department of History marks Black History Month 2023 with History Now! and RHS events

To mark Black History Month 2023, Dr Liam Liburd organised the History Now! event ‘Black History in the North East’, and took part in a Royal Historical Society (RHS) Roundtable ‘Black British History: Where Now, Where Next?’
Two West Indian Merchant Seamen stand outside the 'West Indies House' hostel at 14-16 Lovaine Place, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, 1941. Behind them can be seen a poster advertising the hostel, its location and facilities. The poster also states that the name of the superintendent is Mr Larbi.