Policy Papers
History & Policy papers are written by expert historians, based on peer-reviewed research. They offer historical insights into current policy issues ranging from Afghanistan and Iraq, climate change and internet surveillance to family dynamics, alcohol consumption and health reforms. For historians interested in submitting a paper, please see the editorial guidelines.
Currently, 252 papers are freely searchable by theme, author or keyword, with new papers published regularly. Where possible, we publish papers to coincide with relevant policy developments. If you are a policy maker, civil society practitioner or journalist and would like to contact one of our historians, please contact [email protected].
You can download H&P policy papers directly from the Apple iBooks store to your iPhone, iPad or Mac. We also have an Amazon Kindle version to download to your PC for transfer to your Kindle via USB cable. Please consult your Kindle manual for further details.
What Does It Mean To Be British? Belfast and Liverpool’s Experiences of Adaptation and Reaction, 188
Introduction Recently there has been renewed interest amongst political and religious leaders and cultural commentators in the idea of 'Britishness'. This revival initially arose in response to the 7 July 2005 London bombings and has intensified with fears that the global recession would exacerbate ethnic tensions in employment and access to social services. Such fears […]
Read MoreHistorians in post-conflict societies: Northern Ireland after the Troubles
Introduction In his History & Policy paper History and national identity: why they should remain divorced, Stefan Berger examined the relationship between historical research and nationalist politics. He referred to the persistence of nationalism as a mobilising force in politics and he emphasised that even in multicultural societies such as Germany, Belgium, Spain and Britain, […]
Read MoreCrisis and recovery: historical perspectives on the Coalition’s economic policies
The current crisis The current economic crisis is the result of an international financial meltdown in 2007-8 that occurred as the result of vastly over-inflated expectations, symbolised by the sub-prime mortgage crisis that originated in the United States and by the extraordinary hubris of the investment banking sectors of both the European and American economies […]
Read MoreElectoral reform dilemmas: are single-member constituencies out of date?
Introduction Defenders of the British first-past-the-post electoral system never tire of reminding their opponents that it is tried, trusted, and often – by implication – long established. Such claims, however, are difficult to reconcile with the fact that from the thirteenth century down to the late nineteenth century multi-member constituencies were the norm for parliamentary […]
Read MoreDe-globalization and the search for economic security
Introduction The current recession has re-ignited debates about globalization, debates so far dominated by the expression of worries that the current recession will lead to a damaging backlash against what are seen as the benefits of this process (see, for example, the series of pieces in the Financial Times, 4 January 2011). Such arguments depend, […]
Read MoreCoalition policy towards the NHS: past contexts and current trajectories
Introduction With January 2011's Health and Social Care Bill, following the financial settlement in October's Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), the major elements of Coalition policy towards the National Health Service (NHS) are clear. The Tory election pledge of maintaining a real term increase in expenditure has apparently been fulfilled, thus underscoring the commitment which is […]
Read MoreWine, supermarkets and alcohol policy
Introduction Since the introduction of the 2003 Licensing Act, questions about the relationship between alcohol legislation and popular drinking cultures have been the source of widespread public debate. At the time of the Act's implementation in November 2005, media reports focused almost exclusively on the consequences of drinking in pubs and bars. While the stated […]
Read MoreLow carbon futures and high carbon pasts: policy challenges in historical perspective
Introduction After Copenhagen failed to deliver an international agreement on reducing carbon emissions, all eyes turned to the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun. Notwithstanding the agreement to set up a new fund to help developing countries adapt to the effects of climate change, strategies for dealing with global warming will remain largely […]
Read MoreEngland’s early ‘Big Society’: parish welfare under old Poor Law
Introduction Under England's Old Poor Law between 1601 and 1834 welfare activities were highly organised on a local, community basis. However, this was not reliant upon the formula of mere voluntary association. On the contrary, local parish vestries operated under the authority of legal duties and obligations, set out within and enforced by the common […]
Read More‘Happy families?’ history and policy
Introduction There is a widespread belief that since the 1960s there has been a breakdown of family life in this country without historical precedent. These claims risk leading to policy responses based on false assumptions about the ways in which families and family structures have changed in recent years. The longer history of lone parenthood […]
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About Us
H&P is based at the Institute of Historical Research, Senate House, University of London.
We are the only project in the UK providing access to an international network of more than 500 historians with a broad range of expertise. H&P offers a range of resources for historians, policy makers and journalists.
