"liverpool" blog posts
Kitty's Launderette
We’re all trying to live a bit more sustainably. We’re conscious of being frugal, aware of being green and understand the pitfalls of mass consumerism and the damage it can cause to the environment.
Posted on: 12 April 2022
Sustainable Swaps Guide
“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it” – Robert Swan, Author. Little changes can make a big impact when lots of people choose to make them. Here are just a few ideas of sustainable swaps you can make to reduce your impact on climate change.
Posted on: 29 March 2022
Decolonising Bluecoat: A Collaborative Project
PhD researcher Michelle Girvan tells us about her work with the Bluecoat, Liverpool's oldest inner-city building, to investigate the building's complex connections with global trade, slavery and empire.
Posted on: 16 March 2022
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Mapping Fascism Across Europe
Image credit: Pascual Marín, A group of members of the SF in Gipuzkoa rendering the Roman salute (1937). Kutxa Fototeka, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Posted on: 9 March 2022
Why Asexual Representation Matters
31st October 2021, I entered News From Nowhere, an independent bookstore on Bold Street. As I placed 3 items on the counter to purchase, I felt free. I bought a pin badge, a 5x3ft flag and a mini-handheld flag, all displaying a black stripe, a grey stripe, a white stripe and a purple stripe from top to bottom. These colours represent the asexual, or ace for short, flag, although I’m sure many of you may already be familiar with that flag. And although I’d long ago discovered my own asexuality, it was the first time I’d openly and proudly admitted to myself and another person that I am asexual.
Posted on: 9 February 2022
Books to read for the celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month
If you are like me and love celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month by reading stories that include queer identities, I have a list of fiction stories to recommend. However, it’s important to also read non-fiction and own voices stories and I highly recommend doing that too.
Posted on: 8 February 2022
Semester 1 Summaries: Bethan Asher
The first semester of my second year studying history at Liverpool has been a blast. Having lived in student accommodation at the on-campus Crown Place Halls of Residence last year, I was worried that living slightly further out of the city would be difficult. Quite the opposite- living in a house with five of my friends has been so much fun. Living in halls last year was exciting and a great way to make new friends with people doing a broad range of courses and all from different places. The university made such an effort to make halls feel like home with weekly activities to do with flatmates and events in the social areas. There are so many options here in terms of accommodation and the best thing is that most of them are pretty good value!
Posted on: 16 December 2021
Our Favourite Places to Visit Outside of the City
Sometimes you just want to take a break from city life, escape for a few hours. We know the feeling! We've put together a few suggestions of where you could go, including some stops along the way. So get your comfy trainers ready because you're about to go on an adventure.
Posted on: 8 August 2021
‘News you’re not supposed to know’: Uncovering the birth of Liverpool Free Press 1971-77
This little newspaper, run on a shoestring and staffed by part-timers in a tiny office, was responsible for investigating and breaking the news of a huge corruption scandal that ended with three prison terms for local councillors and business leaders.
Posted on: 10 May 2021
World Heritage Day: a student's view
For World Heritage Day 2021, we spoke to History student Hannah Schofield-Lea, currently completing a placement at the World Museum, Liverpool.
Posted on: 19 April 2021
Four historic places to visit now in Liverpool
After feeling like we have been stuck inside for an eternity, students across Liverpool can slowly start to enjoy the beautiful locations in this historic city. Whilst Liverpool’s museums and indoor facilities are closed, take advantage of the sun and being allowed outdoors and explore some historic sites.
Posted on: 12 April 2021
Five ways to explore LGBT+ history from home
For LGBT+ history month we asked Imogen, Deputy-President of the Guild, to collaborate with us on a list of media to watch and resources to explore. From campaigning for equal rights at Pride in London, to the Harlem ballroom scene in New York, find out more about LGBT+ history here.
Posted on: 27 January 2021
The Kremlin, the past and 2020
2020 was meant to be a blockbuster year for the Kremlin: twenty years of Vladimir Putin, seventy-five years since the victory over fascism in the Great Patriotic War and constitutional changes approved overwhelmingly by the population in a referendum.
Posted on: 6 January 2021
2020: My year in review as a History student
2020 is not what any of us expected. History student Amy Ward talks us through some of the positives that she is taking note of this year despite 2020’s hard times and unpredictability.
Posted on: 1 December 2020
Can you display statues relating to empire sympathetically?
Elizabeth Colenso is a first-year student studying Sociology and History at the University of Liverpool. Here she chats to us about conversations she and fellow History classmates had with the National Trust after the Trust's removal of a problematic statue previously in front of the Dunham Massey estate.
Posted on: 25 November 2020
Mary Mary, quite contrary: a statue for Wollstonecraft
Dr Myriam Wilks-Heeg gives her view on the contraversial new statue honouring feminist icon, Mary Wollstonecraft.
Posted on: 18 November 2020
Welcome to Liverpool! 5 tips for History students new to University of Liverpool
Welcome week runs from 28 September – 2 October 2020 and is set to be a little different this year, however there are still tons of events and tools that you can use to interact with the department, explore the city and get to know the University of Liverpool as a new student. Here are 5 tips for History students during Welcome Week to get your university experience off to a flying start:
Posted on: 26 September 2020
After Edward Colston: The Bristol Library Society and the Slave Trade
The toppling of the statue of the slave trader Edward Colston (1636-1721) in Bristol on 7 June 2020 has reminded a whole country – and many other parts of the world – of the city’s historical involvement in the slave trade. In the eighteenth century, Bristol prided itself as the second city of the British Empire and the traffic in human beings played a seminal role in creating the city’s wealth. In the second half of the century, the city used its increased prosperity to found cultural institutions, and one of the most notable ones was the Bristol Library Society, established in 1772-73. As a postdoctoral member of Professor Mark Towsey’s AHRC project on ‘Libraries, Reading Communities and Cultural Formation in the Eighteenth-Century Atlantic’, I conduct research on this institution and recently signed a contract with Bristol Record Society to publish an edition of its eighteenth-century committee minutes in book form.
Posted on: 10 June 2020
Professor Elaine Chalus discusses women and elections in the age of revolution
Professor Elaine Chalus, Head of the Department of History at the University of Liverpool, was recently recorded discussing women and elections with Megan King from the University of Kent’s Age of Revolutions research project.
Posted on: 6 May 2020
'Untold Histories of Empire': The truths about empire that museums don’t want to tell you – and why
Dr Deana Heath is a Reader in Indian and Colonial History at the University of Liverpool, and organiser of the Untold Histories of Empire project at the World Museum as part of the Being Human Festival.
Posted on: 13 November 2019
Libraries, Reading Communities and Cultural Formation in the Eighteenth-Century Atlantic
7-12 October is National Libraries Week 2019 – a time to celebrate the power of libraries to change lives through reading. The theme this year is how libraries engage communities through technology, building skills and encouraging participation. It’s fitting, therefore, that this week also marks the launch of a major new digital humanities project funded by the AHRC exploring the history of libraries, led by Professor Mark Towsey from the Department of History at the University of Liverpool.
Posted on: 9 October 2019
Opinion: What’s special about Robert Mugabe?
Following the death of Robert Mugabe earlier this month, Dr Diana Jeater reflects on the life of the former President of Zimbabwe and the response to his passing in the media.
Posted on: 18 September 2019
Five things to do during Welcome Week
Welcome Week kicks off on Monday, giving new students the opportunity to get to know their new flatmates, explore Liverpool and settle in before they start lectures. Take a look at our top five tips to help you get started with university life.
Posted on: 13 September 2019
Q&A: What's it like to study a PhD in History at the University of Liverpool?
Emily Gibbs is a postgraduate research student in the Department of History, specialising in the anxieties felt by British society during the Cold War. Find out Emily's thoughts on studying a PhD at the University: from her topic of study to the city of Liverpool.
Posted on: 2 April 2019
Opinion: British Empire is still being whitewashed by the school curriculum – Dr Deana Heath on why this must change
Dr Deana Heath: Jeremy Corbyn has recently proposed that British school children should be taught about the history of the realities of British imperialism and colonialism. This would include the history of people of colour as components of, and contributors to, the British nation-state – rather than simply as enslaved victims of it. As Corbyn rightly noted: “Black history is British history” – and hence its study should be part of the national curriculum, not segregated in a single month each year.
Posted on: 8 November 2018
Black History Month: reflecting on racialised beauty standards
For Black History Month, history student Alaina Heath reflects on racialised beauty standards and representations of Black beauty in the media.
Posted on: 26 October 2018
Why were Suffragettes force-fed in prison?
Modern history expert, Dr Sam Caslin, talks about the practise of force-feeding Suffragettes in prison, as we continue to reflect on the centenary of the Representation of the People Act, which allowed (some) women the right to vote in 1918.
Posted on: 27 September 2018
Explore the history of urban dog mess at the Plop Up Dog Poo Family Fun Day
Dog mess is a messy and infuriating presence on our streets. Awareness raising campaigns and fining and have made some progress in encouraging dog owners to do the responsible thing and scoop the poop. But dog mess continues to pose difficult management issues for councils who receive thousands of complaints each year about the 3,000 tons that hit British streets daily.
Posted on: 14 September 2018
What are the Terracotta Warriors? Four amazing facts!
We explore the Terracotta Warriors exhibition at World Museum in this video with Chinese history expert, Leon Rocha. Find out how they were discovered, how they were made and more!
Posted on: 14 August 2018
World Cup stories: Football and national identity in postwar Germany
When you grow up in the North East of England, you can’t really escape the notion that to millions, maybe billions of people around the world, football is a lot more than a game.
Posted on: 12 June 2018
Five things to do in Merseyside for anyone interested in History this summer
With summer now upon us, you might be looking for things to do in Merseyside before the start of the new term (trust us, this will come around very quickly!). While teaching may be over until September, there’s still plenty of things to do and see in the area that relate to History: from a World War Two bunker to Liverpool’s Old Dock.
Posted on: 8 June 2018
Extreme Weather - how human stories can help us engage with climate change
Climate change is a global phenomenon but it can often feel abstract and detached from our everyday lives. Engagement with the public about climate change can be more effective if human experiences of extreme weather are used, in the form of memories and personal stories.
Posted on: 15 May 2018
How studying History at Liverpool led to an internship with UNESCO in Paris
Francesca Lee describes how studying History at the University of Liverpool provided a springboard for a new life in Paris, where she's studying for a Masters degree in International Relations and working as an intern with UNESCO.
Posted on: 20 April 2018
Talia immerses herself in Chinese history and culture during her Study Abroad adventure
Since getting back from China in June 2017, I have become ‘that girl’ who’s always referring back to her year abroad. The reason I do is because I had such an amazing time, and I highly encourage anyone thinking of studying abroad to do so!
Posted on: 16 April 2018
From the White House to Niagra Falls — Emily McIndoe embraces her Study Abroad opportunity
I spent a semester at the University of Maryland, USA in 2015 and it was the best decision I made at university. When I received my study abroad offer, and even after a quick Google search, I couldn’t point to Maryland on a map and had no idea about what I should expect when I arrived. The University of Maryland (UMD), is actually only a short metro ride from Washington DC and not that far from Baltimore either.
Posted on: 20 March 2018
Careers - “What are you going to do with a degree in history?”
We found out how history graduate Lindsey Sutton turned her degrees in history and archive management into a career.
Posted on: 19 March 2018
"Empowered working-class housewives" - Big Flame, Women and the Kirkby Rent Strike 1972-73
Inspired by the #PressForProgress theme for International Women's Day 2018, we hear from PhD student Kerrie McGiveron, who has been researching the fascinating story of the women of Big Flame, who were involved in the Kirkby rent strike in Liverpool, during the 1970s.
Posted on: 6 March 2018
"It made me realise that history really was just outside my doorstep" — Lois shares her study abroad experience in Prague
My name is Lois and I’m currently a third-year history student. Writing about my experience at Charles University, Prague, in only one article is going to be difficult as I have so many amazing memories from my Erasmus experience; but I’ll try and squeeze everything in! Before I start though, to anyone who has any doubts or worries about having difficulties making friends abroad, homesickness or just not fitting in, I hope this blog convinces you that you have absolutely nothing to worry about.
Posted on: 27 February 2018
Liverpool: Celebrating 10 years as the Capital of Culture
This year, Liverpool will come together once more to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of being named the European Capital of Culture. Here, we will explore some of the highlights 2018 will bring as a celebration, and check out some other big names that turn 10, too!
Posted on: 14 February 2018
Why did Suffragette Edith Rigby plant a bomb at the Cotton Exchange in Liverpool?
We hear from modern history expert, Dr Sam Caslin about how a Suffragette from Preston shook the foundations of the Cotton Exchange in the heart of Liverpool in 1913. Did campaigns like Edith's help contribute to the passing of the Representation of the People Act, which allowed (some) women the right to vote in 1918?
Posted on: 6 February 2018
Opinion: Anti-Roma stigma of Czech president Miloš Zeman threatens progress over Romani rights
Czech president Miloš Zeman faces a tough run-off against rival Jiří Drahoš in the second round of the presidential election on 26-27 January 2018. Voters will deliver their verdict on Zeman’s open hostility to refugees, Muslims, and the European Union, and his support for Russia.
Posted on: 24 January 2018
Taking a year abroad - are you adventurous enough to come and live in China?
Hello! Or should I say 你好 (ni hao)? I’m currently sitting in my flat in Suzhou revising for my exams. Yes, Study Abroad does actually involve studying, but don’t worry, there’s so much more!
Posted on: 19 January 2018
Our top tips to beat the Blue Monday blues this January
January blues can be tough. But what should you do when Blue Monday comes around when you're trying to prepare for your exams?
Posted on: 15 January 2018
Robert Mugabe’s resignation - an extraordinary week in Zimbabwe's history
‘What’s happening?’ ‘Have you seen the news?’ ‘Is this it?’- these were the messages that started coming in from contacts all over the world, as I was preparing to head out to the Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association in Chicago last month.
Posted on: 1 December 2017
Statues of medical racist who experimented on enslaved people should also be taken down
Stephen Kenny blogs about how statues of a medical racist who experimented on enslaved people should be removed.
Posted on: 23 August 2017
Nuclear stories: understanding nuclear anxiety through storytelling
When I first undertook my History PhD research on nuclear anxiety in Britain, I was instantly surprised by how much people wanted to tell me their 'nuclear stories'. It appeared to me that the legacies of Cold War nuclear anxieties ran much deeper than I had originally believed.
Posted on: 23 August 2017
Pursuing a career in academia - history alumna Wendy Asquith tells her success story
As a Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham, I am currently working on a new project \"The Spectacle of Universal Human Rights: A Century of Intergovernmental Display at World's Fairs\".
Posted on: 31 July 2017
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Transforming Ideas about Gender at Sudley House
Issues of gender identity have increasingly entered mainstream conversation, and the new 'Transformation' exhibition at Sudley House aims to tackle these issues.
Posted on: 23 June 2017
Fine china cups and shipping tycoons - decorative art explored at the Victoria Gallery and Museum
When you drink tea or coffee from your fine china cup and, perhaps, still secretly smoke tobacco, do you ever wonder where such objects and drugs came from?
Posted on: 19 June 2017
Genoa’s Freedom: Entrepreneurship, Republicanism, and the Spanish Atlantic
My new book 'Genoa’s Freedom: Entrepreneurship, Republicanism, and the Spanish Atlantic' is the result of many years of work. It all started one day at the Newberry Library, in Chicago, where I found a sixteenth-century account book of taxes paid in Peru to the Spanish monarchy.
Posted on: 14 June 2017
Libraries and life in Washington DC - building the foundations of my PhD thesis
I was lucky enough to move to Washington D.C. from September 2016 until February this year, to undertake a British Research Council Fellowship at the John W. Kluge Center, Library of Congress.
Posted on: 5 April 2017
Using our archives - hidden stories from LGBT history
Masters student and archivist, Emma Cummings, reflects on how archives and collections can act as an important part of highlighting hidden stories from LGBT history.
Posted on: 29 March 2017
'Be bold for change' and the origins of International Women’s Day
Historian, Dr Myriam Wilks-Heeg, looks back at the origins of International Women's Day and reflects on this year's theme.
Posted on: 6 March 2017
Jackie Kennedy - America’s most recognisable First Lady
This week sees the release of ‘Jackie’, a film about First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the days following the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy, in 1963.
Posted on: 19 January 2017
Beat stress and visit these top places to chill out in Liverpool
January blues can be tough. But what should you do when Blue Monday comes around when you're trying to prepare for your exams?
Posted on: 16 January 2017
Bubbly and celebrations at our winter graduation 2016
Celebrating with our graduating students is always special and last week was no exception when we held our winter graduation reception.
Posted on: 13 December 2016
'Fashion and Freedom' - women and the First World War
Corsets. Flares. Mini-skirts. They all tell us something about what was happening in society at the time that they first became popular. Looking back at fashion can give us a fresh perspective on key moments in history and on social change.
Posted on: 24 November 2016
'Asylum Squad' - exploring religion and mental illness
The Victoria Gallery and Museum's 'Phantom Limb' exhibition focuses on medicine, memory and the treatment process. It features around 20 works by nine artists, most of whom work from their own personal experiences of operations and illnesses.
Posted on: 15 November 2016
Researching the slave trade in Liverpool
For Black History Month, we take a look at some of the stories behind the slave trade in Liverpool with PhD student Nicholas Fuqua:
Posted on: 21 October 2016