History Today

Cohn the Canary

The work of the historian Norman Cohn has taken on a new resonance. We should heed his warnings.

Speaking her Mind

Lal Ded was a pioneer of Kashmiri poetry, who raised the consciousness of the common people and challenged ideas of caste, religion and gender.

The Two Prices of Soy

Who cares whether China stops buying soy from the United States? History suggests we all should.

Fears of a Fourth Reich

From neo-Nazis to unpopular politicians, since the Second World War many people have been accused of trying to establish a Fourth Reich, but what was it?

Mae West Sentenced for Sex

Having produced, directed and starred in a lascivious play, West was charged with ‘corrupting the morals of youth’ on 19 April 1927.