History & policy database
Historian’s Books
The History Manifesto
David Armitage and Jo Guldi found themselves chafing against history’s traditional reluctance to embrace broad time-scales, which they argue in The History Manifesto are crucial for policy makers. Read about their inspiration for The History Manifesto, which is being launched at LSE on 8 October
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The Politics of Expertise – How NGOs Shaped Modern Britain
Encouraged by students seeking alternatives to traditional social history, Matthew Hilton and colleagues charted the growth and ascendency of NGOs, their influence, impact – and limitations. By examining three key civil society concerns – environmentalism, humanitarian aid and development, and homelessness – the authors consider how NGOs and people's marginalisation from traditional politics has changed the ways in which 21st century Britons engage with the world.
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Hyperactive: the controversial history of ADHD
Matthew Smith explains how he was motivated to write a history of hyperactivity and discusses what his research can add to present-day debates about its diagnosis and treatment, and the nature of modern childhood.
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Registration and Recognition. Documenting the Person in World History
New technologies of civic identity registration are a major global policy innovation. Keith Breckenridge and Simon Szreter, H&P Managing Editor, introduce a volume of new findings on the little-known comparative world history since the ancient world- both East and West- of these official and legal recognition systems; and discuss some of the policy implications from this diversity of original historical research.
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‘Governing Post-War Britain’
Glen O'Hara explores the paradoxes of governing post-war Britain. Why, he asks, when living standards rose so markedly, did voters accord politicians with so little credit for their new-found prosperity?
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Wales since 1939
Martin Johnes discusses how he approached the history of Wales since 1939, studying it as both a 'complex and contradictory' nation in its own right, and also as a witness and participant to the events and changes that shaped the UK and the wider world in the twentieth century.
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The Big Society Debate: a New Agenda for Social Welfare?
There is a long transatlantic intellectual history of ideas, akin to 'the Big Society', stretching back at least to Adam Smith. Today's 'Big Society' policies draw on institutions and activities that have a long history in Britain. To explore the implications of that history for civil society and welfare provision today, historians and social policy scholars have collaborated on a new book.
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‘Sinners? Scroungers? Saints? Unmarried motherhood in twentieth century England’
In this groundbreaking new study, Pat Thane and Tanya Evans challenge many of the stereotypes and historical myths that are prevalent in present-day media and policy discussion about unmarried mothers. Co-author Pat Thane explains that, far from being a creation of the 'permissive 1960s', unmarried mothers were both more prevalent, and more diverse, than is often assumed.
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Science in the Twentieth Century and Beyond
Jon Agar's global history of science raises significant intellectual dilemmas not easily captured by historical case studies. Should the social sciences be included alongside the physical and life sciences? How to integrate national stories of scientific development into a global narrative of change? In answering such questions, Agar came to two conclusions with policy implications that historians can assist with.
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The British People and the League of Nations: Democracy, citizenship and internationalism, c.1918-19
Helen McCarthy considers the challenges of balancing foreign policy imperatives and democratic practices through the lens of the League of Nations Union (LNU). As one of the largest voluntary organisations of its time, the LNU promoted international cooperation, arguing that foreign affairs should be within the purview of all citizens. But as McCarthy's new book suggests, there are limitations to such campaigns when it comes to foreign policy.
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