Head to Head

Thriving in troubled times, the allure of a good conspiracy theory has proved irresistible whenever and wherever authorities are not trusted. What’s the damage? 

It’s the most tired of historical clichés, but is it so for a reason? Who writes history? Four would-be winners debate.

It’s bad news for local newspapers, with reports that they have reached their lowest numbers since the 18th century. How will historians study the provincial past when they can’t read all about it?

Long out of fashion, the term ‘Third World’ emerged amid the political polarisation of the Cold War. Now there is war in Europe again, and renewed talk of Non-Alignment. Does the ‘Global South’ exist?

Julius Caesar was killed on 15 March 44 BC. We’ve heard about the ‘Ides of March’ – but what happened next?

On the 20th anniversary of the worldwide protest against the Iraq War in February 2003, we ask: is there such a thing as ‘just war’ or is there just war?

Withdrawing labour is an age-old response to workplace grievances. But how old are strikes, and have they ever worked?

We know less about some periods than others, but the meaning of ‘Dark Age’ is multifarious and often loaded.

Nobody owns the past, but many have sought to use it to their own ends. The use, and abuse, of ancient history has been ever-present.