Clash of civilisations: Iran vs. the West
Iran – or Persia – has frequently been portrayed as a civilisational foe. Yet classical Greek attempts to rationalise their enemy go beyond our own shallow interpretation.
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Category: History
Olympic diplomacy from Sparta to Korea
The Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang have been a useful exercise in relationship building for the two Koreas. Though unpopular in some quarters, this diplomatic act has precedence in ancient history.
Heritage of hate: How the Confederacy created Charlottesville
American white supremacists take their cues from a far older influence than the Nazis: the Confederate States of America, a nation dedicated to upholding and extending slavery.
It’s finally time to retire the royals
The monarchy is a fundamental part of public life. But why is this still considered appropriate? Why shouldn’t we have a national debate about the place of the Royal Family in modern society?
The prime minister who lost America
Lord North is sometimes called Britain’s worst ever prime minister. But does the man who lost the American colonies deserve this title, or was he a hapless victim of circumstance?
Helmut Kohl and the peaceful revolution
Helmut Kohl, the mighty European statesman, has died. However, his pioneering achievement, the unification of Germany, was far from a certainty.
Age of Empires: Good game, bad history
Video games can be a damn good educational tool. Among the pantheon of video games, the Age of Empires series does more than any other to make people study history.
Periphery: The myth of British exceptionalism
One of our greatest failures is our inability to confront our imperial past. Celebrated by our media, it has left us with an inflated sense of exceptionalism that has estranged us from our closest neighbours.
Closed ports and Christians: Japan’s era of isolation
Distrust of a religious minority, limited interest in international trade, a desire to protect a national identity: this is early modern Japan, a feudal backwater that had cut itself off from the world.
When we were refugees: Anglo-Saxons on the Black Sea
Whether fleeing civil war in Syria, or political oppression in Africa, the right-wing media has met refugees with scorn. This is in contrast to a past of English people both welcoming and being refugees.
