Our blog page is open to anyone who would like to write about history that is controversial or contested.
Forty years after Margaret Thatcher came to power, coalfield communities like mine are still dealing with the fallout of her government’s actions.
This extract from a speech by former NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson, made in 2002, illustrates just how far perceptions of Vladimir Putin have changed.
Continuing our examination of Stalin’s complicated legacy in our Great Leaders series, below is a speech that is very critical of Stalin given by one of his successors, Nikita Khrushchev, in 1956.
As part of our Great Leaders programme that examines the legacies of controversial historical figures, we post an American civil rights leader’s glowing obituary for Josef Stalin.
To understand the war in Ukraine, we must understand Russia’s parallel interpretations of recent history.
Celeste Schoenen and her students from Langerwehe, Germany have been developing a Parallel Histories debate programme in German and English about whether the GDR was ‘unrechtsstaat’ (an unlawful state).
Miriam Tomusk explores how a parallel narratives approach to studying the history of Mary I and Elizabeth I can help challenge preconceptions about Tudor history.
In keeping with our Great Leaders videos, here Richard Seymour presents the case against Winston Churchill’s elevated status as a national hero.
Our Great Leaders videos examine the case for and against Churchill’s status as the greatest Briton ever. Continuing our engagement with this debate, here Richard Langworth puts forward his defence of Churchill’s legacy.
Michael Davies explores ways to ‘decolonise the curriculum’ by simply rereading some of the existing topics you teach with a more critical ‘decolonising’ eye.
Sarah Gillen introduces some strategies to broaden student thinking and move beyond a formulaic approach when evaluating sources.
An article by King’s College London working with Ipsos MORI suggests that the UK is not yet as polarised as the U.S.A., a finding that correlates with our experiences of debating in classrooms.
George Kyris and Luke Bacigalupo discuss how disputes over sovereignty may drag on for decades and what the UK could learn from the conflict over Kosovo’s sovereignty.
Elena Stevens writes about how she has integrated historical debating into her A Level and enrichment classes, and broadened the appeal of debating controversial aspects of history beyond the students already studying History A level.
Hugh Castle shares his top tips on incorporating the Parallel Histories methodology into the curriculum for teaching the Middle East.
Shellie Webster recounts the many benefits that embarking on the Israel-Palestine debate programme has had on the educational experiences of her students.
How schools in Glasgow are taking an innovative approach to debating the contested history of Henry Dundas’ involvement in the slave trade.
Michael Davies explores the immense benefits of teaching Israel-Palestine head-on.
Dr Cecilia Biaggi highlights the complex history of education in Northern Ireland, in its relation to the state and to religion.
Michael Davies was recently interviewed by Pádraig Ó Tuama for the Corrymeela Podcast. Corrymeela is Northern Ireland's oldest peace and reconciliation organisation and Pádraig leads this community, bringing interests in language, violence and religion to his work.
Mary Ormerod shares 8 key principles for approaching the complex history of History.
How letters to parents can be used to explain why their children are learning parallel narratives, especially where the conflict in question continues to resonate with the community of the school.
The massive reaction we got to Elena Stevens’ blog about diversifying the teaching of World War One is proof that teachers are looking for stories about this global war which do not come from the Western Front.
Students should understand that the conflicts of World War One were played out in much more diverse arenas (and with much more diverse armies) than traditional narratives might have us believe.
Mary Ormerod interviews Mohammed Amin, prominent businessperson and former chair of the Conservative Muslim Forum.
Travelling through Israel and Palestine while doing research for her undergraduate thesis, Rosie Hoddinott learns about the psychological impact of conflict and the nature of suspicion.
My father's experience as a soldier at the end of the British mandate in Palestine in 1946.
We are celebrating the launch of the Parallel Histories blog as a platform to encourage diversity of perspective and open debate in the study of history.