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The Value of Studying History: A Subject at Risk

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“So, you’re going to be a history teacher?” This is the most common question I hear as an undergraduate History student. While teaching is certainly an option for some, it is not for me and is far from the only career path available to history graduates. Yet, the assumption that history is only valid for teaching or academia is a concerning factor in its under appreciation. Whether openly stated or implied, history as a subject is increasingly undervalued by our society. I’ll admit my bias—I chose to study history. But why? My path to this degree wasn’t straightforward. Initially, I intended to pursue a science-based degree, selecting A Levels in Biology, Chemistry, History, and English Literature. However, after the immense stress of Chemistry led me to drop it, I was drawn more toward History and Biology. The UK education system tends to push students toward the sciences or the humanities, making it difficult to pursue both. By dropping an additional science, my university options be...
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Bangor and the Ban on Reform

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Reform UK are always making headlines; however, earlier this month, it was over Sarah Pochin MP and campaigner Jack Anderton being denied the opportunity to speak at the University of Bangor’s Debating and Political Society. (Ferguson and Williams 2026) Quick to respond, Zia Yusuf - the party’s head of policy - suggested that under a Reform government, the university could see a cut of “£30 million”. (Ferguson and Williams 2026) With UK Universities being in perpetual peril, is it right for politicians to threaten to cut them further simply for not platforming them? The Office for Students announced in November 2025 that, in the 2025/2026 academic year, approximately half of UK universities will face a deficit. (Office for Students 2025) This is an increase of around 10% from 4 in 10 earlier that year. (Jeffreys and Shearing 2025) Clearly, they are struggling. For too long, the student loan system has been criticised as inadequate, with too little being paid per student compared. Plus,...
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The NHS in 2050: Will NHS Dentistry Exist?

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This article was written for the Oxford Labour Club's in-house journal 'Look Left'. It is part of a series which focuses on the future of the NHS in 2050, with this one focusing on NHS Dentistry.  Let’s face it most people dread going to the dentist… who can blame them? With Reform on the rise and NHS dental contracts being unfit for purpose, the future of NHS dentistry remains questionable. NHS dentistry needs serious reform, or else it risks disappearing by 2050. The Current Assessment Dentistry began life under the NHS in 1948 as free at the point of delivery. However, this was short-lived as charges were introduced in 1951. Most people using the NHS service today can be expected to pay in a ‘band’ system. This three-tier system is famously the bane of dentists' lives - or at least that's what my friends' dad says. However, the charges for NHS Dentistry – as they currently stand – do not cover the cost of materials and labour. It is unsustainable. Alongside t...
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Comparative History: What is it, and why is it useful?

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History does not just write itself. Individuals across the centuries have sought to understand their circumstances by looking both to current events near and far (both geographically and temporally). Below is a summary of how I have understood the comparative method.  Marc Bloch was a pioneer of the Annales school and a critical thinker of the benefits of comparison for historians. In an article from 1963, he argues that it is “one of the most pressing needs of present-day historical science.” [1] He is, in some ways, right. Historians need to take comparison as essential for exposing questions which would not otherwise have become visible. To Bloch, sources would not expose their answers without careful questioning. Comparison, as such, enables this. We can take a period, time or place and compare how similar elements (e.g., governance or slavery) were conducted. Yet, as my class has illuminated, we must also take into consideration the context of these different societies in ...
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New Year, New Ideas - How will History be written?

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Happy New Year, or should I say Happy Hogmanay? I recently got back from visiting the wonderful city of Edinburgh to ring in the New Year, but in the process of looking back at the last year, we can’t help but look to the future, too. So, here are some thoughts based on our discussions around the piano last night.  History is a discipline which famously looks to the past, and rarely do historians think of the future. While many of us sit and think about what events of history could have changed, and by extension, how this would have impacted us today, we rarely look at the future of it as a subject. Sure, those of you who follow my blog will know that I spend a lot of time thinking about the future of history in places like higher education. However, this post looks at something different. Below, I outline some of the weird and wonderful ways I think the history of ‘now’ will evolve to be told in the future.  Sources We live in a digital age that has profoundly shifted how his...
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Tolerance in the Ottoman Empire: The Jewish Experience

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History is something I take an interest in, not just during the term time, but outside of it too. Over the summer I had the pleasure of staying in Cumbria for a while and here I read Diana Darke's fantastic book on the Ottoman empire. In light of the intolerant society I feel is developing today, this book reminded me of how immigrants enrich societies and inspired me to explore how historical lessons can inform our present. Perhaps you’ll find the historical lessons as fascinating as I did. _____________________________ The Ottoman Empire controlled vast swathes of Southern Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa between the 13th and 20th centuries. Its impact has been enduring on aspects of culture, but what is most fascinating to me is its openness to immigration. Those living in modern society will be aware of the increasingly intolerant society we have come to inhabit. So, this week, I take a step back to examine how the Ottoman Empire fostered a culture of inclusion for Jewish...
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Women in Men’s Trousers: Joan of Arc, Authority, and Controversy

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Last weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing one of my favourite historians, the legendary Professor Janina Ramirez, speak at the Sheldonian Theatre here in Oxford. Promoting her new book ‘Legenda’, she discussed looking behind the images of impressive historical women to find the real woman beneath. One such figure she focuses on is Joan of Arc. This is my final term of teaching at university, and as part of this, I have been studying Joan of Arc. But who was Joan, and why did her choice of clothing matter? Joan of Arc, a teenage visionary from Domremy, quite literally changed the course of French history while wearing men’s trousers. That is slightly an over-simplification on my part, but Joan’s gender was significant in her quest for the Valois victory. In this post, I argue that Joan’s choice to adopt male clothing was central to her identity and authority, shaping both how contemporaries saw her and how she could assert power in a male-dominated world. The Context Joan of Arc was li...
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