Histories of the Present

Since it began in the 1960s, the History Workshop movement has sought to make history relevant to contemporary politics. We continue this project through these Histories of the Present.

What

Where

When

Series

A nation of dog lovers?

Chris Pearson

The British pride themselves on being a nation of dog lovers. However, Chris Pearson reveals that colonial Britain’s canine savoir-faire was conditional and only certain types of dogs were acceptable in 'civilised' countries.

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Abortion Before Roe

Rosa Campbell

How did US women have abortions when it was illegal? Rosa Campbell explores an archive of US women's testimonies of abortions across borders, in Japan, Puerto Rico and Mexico, with resonances for today.

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#MeToo in China

Rebecca Turkington

Rebecca Turkington explores how the #MeToo movement in China today is made possible through rich histories of Chinese feminists organising inside, alongside and beyond the state.

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What’s in a Surname?

Rebecca Mason

In Britain today, 9 out of 10 women marrying men will change their name on marriage. Rebecca Mason discusses the history of female name changing after marriage in Britain, arguing that reference to tradition is not necessarily rooted in…

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‘Very few actual children’: Defining Childhood and Assessing Age in the Aftermath of the Second World War

Antoine Burgard

How does age shape the experience of refugeedom and migration? How have power structures used age, a supposedly objective measurement of worthiness and vulnerability, to grant some lives more legitimacy than others? Antoine Burgard…

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