Year: 2022
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An Lushan and the Fall of China’s Golden Age
Written by Kat Jivkova. The Tang period witnessed an incredible cultural blossoming amidst the pre-modern imperial magnificence, but what proved to be the cause of smouldering away?
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The Pill that Changed the World: A Complicated History
Written by Sophie Whitehead. The history of birth control pills is not commonly understood, despite their presence in the everyday lives of hundreds of millions of people. Sophie Whitehead discusses its murky history both in relation to narratives of historical exceptionalism and uncomfortable associations.
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‘Black Terror’: Black Masculinity and Identity Formation in Eighteenth-Century England
Written by Boryana Ivanova. Through employing a ‘history from below’ approach, Boryana Ivanova examines the notions of Black British identity and masculinity in Early Modern History, highlighting the historiographical shortcomings that have plagued the discipline.
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Groundhog Day: The Pride of Punxsutawney
Written by Sam Marks. What is Groundhog Day? Sam Marks discusses the customs and origins of the folklore of the peculiar North American holiday
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The Dancing Plague of 1518: The Worst Dance Party Ever?
Written by Eva Campbell. The Dancing Plague of 1518 is often regarded as one of the most bizarre events in social and cultural history. But are we any further towards understanding why this happened to the people of Strasbourg?
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Kitty Fisher – A Modern Celebrity?
Written by Sophie Whitehead. Obsession with celebrity is thought to be a trend of the modern era, yet, can we call Kitty Fisher the first celebrity? Sophie Whitehead examines the life of Fisher, considering whether she can be called a celebrity in her own right.
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The Art of Love: Ovid’s Valentine Tips
Written by Fiona Macrae. In the first century, Ovid instructed readers of the “Ars Amatoria” on how to find (and keep) love. Two millennia later, Fiona Macrae shares his guidance for the modern Classicist to employ in the search for “amor” this Valentine’s Day.
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The Osteological Paradox and Biomolecular Analysis – A Solution, At Last?
Written by Etta Coleman. The discipline of Osteoarchaeology is paradoxical by nature – those diseases which sweep populations are often too quick to leave a permanent mark on the bones. Etta Coleman discusses whether this is something that can be overcome with Polymerase Chain Reaction testing.
Retrospect Journal 