Biden’s Inauguration: the making and breaking of tradition
Inauguration Day is as historically rooted as it is dynamic, ever reflective of the society each incoming leader exists in. As Joe Biden and Kamala Harris take their oaths, the…
This week in History: the fall of the Berlin Wall
The course of world history was changed in Berlin on 9th November 1989; indeed, in the eyes of political scientist Francis Fukuyama, it came to an end altogether. The man…
This Week in History: The foundation of the United Nations 24 October 1945
On 24 October 1945 the United Nations was established, replacing the League of Nations as the central organisation aiming for international cooperation. The League of Nations had declined following failures…
This Week in History: the establishment of Yosemite National Part on 1 October 1890
A year ago the world was gripped by the nerve-racking rock-climbing film Free Solo (filmed on El Capitan in Yosemite). Another popular climbing film, Dawn Wall drew our attention to…
This Week in History: Hong Kong on 26th September 1984
The catalyst for the 2019 Hong Kong protests was the proposed extradition law which was strongly opposed by a majority of Hong Kong residents. The law essentially involves the right…
This week in history: William Burke was executed on 28 January 1829
William Burke, alongside William Hare, committed a string of murders in Edinburgh through the 1820s. Burke and Hare were both graverobbers, selling bodies to anatomy teachers for dissection and study.…
This Week in History: 19 September 1893 New Zealand became the first country to grant women’s suffrage
Women in New Zealand achieved suffrage in 1893 – far earlier than any other liberal democracy. This day in 1893 marked a watershed moment in the history of women’s rights.…
This Week in History: 26th April 1986 Chernobyl disaster
On Saturday 26th April 1986, Ukraine experienced the biggest disaster in its history. In unit 4 of the nuclear power station at Chernobyl, staff were testing whether the turbines that…