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.
History of tax havens
Introduction Tax havens are increasingly attracting attention today because of the sheer size of the phenomenon. Although reliable data on tax havens is still difficult to come by, the Bank of International Settlement (BIS) quarterly statistics showed that since the early 1980s about half of all international banking assets and liabilities were routed through offshore […]
Read MoreUpgrading Britain’s nuclear deterrent: from V-Bombers to Trident replacement
Introduction The debate about upgrading Britain's nuclear deterrent has intensified over the last few years. In December 2006, the Labour Government announced in a White Paper, The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent, that they would replace the submarines that carry Britain's deterrent (the 'Vanguard' class) when they begin to leave service in the […]
Read MoreNorth Korea and the nuclear threat
Introduction In April 2009 North Korea fired a long-distance three-stage rocket. Although Pyongyang insisted that this was merely a satellite, it proceeded to expel United Nations weapons inspectors from its main reactor at Yongbyon. The following month, it successfully exploded a plutonium-based nuclear device similar in size to that dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. When […]
Read MoreFeeding babies in the 21st century: Breast is still best, but for new reasons
Infant feeding and child health “There is no finer investment for any community than putting milk into babies.” Winston Churchill’s words articulate the enduring view that feeding babies properly must be a good thing, not just for their own health, but also for the country as a whole. The Prime Minister was referring to the […]
Read MoreChina, globalisation and the west: A British debate, 1890 – 1914
The rise of China as an issue in the 1890s At the present time one of our major preoccupations is the economic and political rise of China and India and there is much speculation about the impact that it will have on European and American civilisations and their standing in the world in the 21st […]
Read MoreThe ‘Haldane Principle’ and other invented traditions in science policy
Alternative stories We have got away from stories of past failure, and we have begun to chart a new account of twentieth century British science, in a refashioned historical context in which it is possible to understand the centrality of H.G. Wells as well as C.P. Snow. It is not a history of lacks, but […]
Read MoreThe hustings, broadcasters and the future of British democracy
The tradition of the hustings Up until 1872, the brutal rituals of the nomination hustings were central to British electioneering. Here politicians were obliged to attend an open-air public meeting of their constituents – including non-electors as well as electors – at which their nomination would be confirmed, they would address the gathered multitude, and […]
Read MoreEconomic downturns and the voluntary sector: what can we learn from historical evidence?
Introduction The current economic downturn is prompting speculation about the consequences for charitable giving and the voluntary sector more generally. Some commentators suggest, on the basis of small-scale surveys, that substantial numbers of voluntary organisations face a potential financial crisis. Several surveys have explored the anticipated effects of the current recession, but despite the press […]
Read MoreTackling truancy: why have the millions invested not paid off?
Introduction In February 2005 the National Audit Office (NAO) published its report, 'Improving School Attendance in England' which noted that absence rates in state schools had shown little consistent improvement over the preceding eight years of the Labour government, despite total spending on strategies to improve attendance costing £885m. This figure has now passed £1 […]
Read MoreGordon Brown and the credit crunch in historical perspective
Introduction In 1977, a group called Counteract released a satirical LP called The Cuts Show, in protest against the Callaghan government's squeeze on public spending. One song, 'Labour Party History', reviewed the story of Labour in power since World War Two. It is sung as if by the party's leaders and begins with the optimism […]
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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.
