The Social History Society held a series of free online events 22 June-3 July 2020 to celebrate our community of scholarship.

The events included video-conferencing panels based around our eight conference strands, a COVID-19 themed panel, a plenary talk with Dr David Coast (Bath Spa) and Professor Jo Fox (Director of the Institute of Historical Research), and virtual awards for our annual prizes.

The format differed slightly from our usual conference. Each panel included a range of speakers, giving ten minute presentations on work in progress. The talks focused variously on particular sources, methodological quandaries, historiographical revelations, and the challenges encountered while researching in the midst of a pandemic.

Recordings of the events are available below.

If you are not yet a member of the society, do take a look at the benefits of membership page.

Programme and Recorded Content

Don’t worry if you didn’t make it to the events, as we recorded all of our online conference presentations. There is almost 12 hours of cutting edge social history to catch up on! Click on the title of each session to watch at your convenience.

SHS Book Prize, 35 minutes

Khaled Fahmy talks to Naomi Tadmor about his winning book In Quest of Justice. Islamic Law and Forensic Medicine in Modern Egypt (University of California Press, 2018).

SHS Postgraduate Prize, 9 minutes

Kate Brooks talks to Henry Irving about her winning blog ‘Making a stand with Mary: Precarious Employment in Pandemic Times’.

SHS Public History Prize, 11 minutes

Chad McDonald talks to Pam Cox about his prize-winning exhibition ‘James Parkes and the Age of Intolerance’.

COVID-19 Session, Monday 22 June, 89 minutes

Contributors to our recent COVID-19 blog series reflect on what the current situation means for social and cultural historians.

Session chaired by Henry Irving, featuring presentations by Rebecca Ball, Kieran Fitzpatrick, Helen Frisby, Andrew Jackson, Laura Newman, Viv Newman and Michael Reeve.

Click here for further details.

Diversity, Minorities & ‘Others’ Session, Tuesday 23 June, 43 minutes

This panel showcases the work of speakers due to feature in the Diversity, Minorities & ‘Others’ strand of our conference.

Chaired by Jodi Burkett, featuring Louise Bell, Lucy Delap, Tali Kot-Ofek, Zehra Miah, and Chris Smith.

Click here for further details.

Politics, Policy & Citizenship Session, Wednesday 24 June, 52 minutes

This panel showcases the work of speakers who were due to feature in the Politics, Policy & Citizenship strand at our conference.

Chaired by Andrew Walker, Matthew Grant and Kate Bradley, featuring Judy Cox, Ian d’Alton, Sarah Pedersen, Silvia Pizzirani, and Brodie Waddell.

Click here for further details.

Environment, Spaces & Places Session, Thursday 25 June, 59 minutes

This panel showcases the work of speakers who were due to feature in the new Environment, Spaces and Places strand at our conference.

Chaired by Tosh Warwick, featuring Kremena Dimitrova, John McGoldrick, Maureen Royce, Murray Seccombe, and Andrew Walker.

Click here for further details.

Welfare, Humanitarianism & Social Action – British History, Friday 26 June, 48 minutes

The first of two panels showcasing work from the Welfare, Humanitarianism & Social Action strand. This panel is focused on Britain.

Chaired by David Hitchcock, featuring Georgina Brewis, George Gosling, and Ian Mitchell.

Click here for further details.

Welfare, Humanitarianism & Social Action – International History, Friday 26 June, 34 minutes

The second of two panels showcasing work from the Welfare, Humanitarianism & Social Action strand. This time focused on international history.

Chaired by George Gosling, featuring Henrice Altink, Sudhi Mandloi, and Andrew Searle.

Click here for further details.

Bodies and Emotions Session, Monday 29 June, 54 minutes

This panel showcases the work of speakers who were due to feature in the revised Bodies and Emotions strand at our conference.

Chaired by Jen Evans and Cara Dobbing, featuring Virginia Baptista, Kate Brooks, Vicky Holmes, Catherine Phipps, and Ella Sbaraini.

Click here for further details.

Life Cycles, Families & Communities Session, Tuesday 30 June, 84 minutes

This panel showcases the work of speakers who were due to feature in the Life Cycles, Families and Communities strand at our conference.

Chaired by Ann-Marie Foster and Morag Allan Campbell, featuring Barbara Crosbie, Mark Freeman, Imogen Peck, Naomi Pullin, Ellen Smith, Laura Ugolini, and Hazel Vosper.

Click here for further details.

Deviance, Inclusion & Exclusion Session, Wednesday 1 July, 55 minutes

This panel showcases the work of speakers who were due to feature in the Deviance, Inclusion and Exclusion strand at our conference.

Chaired by Janet Weston, featuring Rachel Bright, Deborah Molyneux, Rianna Price, Evan Smith, and Guy Woolnough.

Click here for further details.

Work, Leisure & Consumption Session, Thursday 2 July, 52 minutes

This panel showcases the work of speakers who were due to feature in the new Work, Leisure and Consumption strand at our conference.

Chaired by Souvik Naha, featuring Matt Beebee, Emma Forth, Talita Magnolo, Edda Nicolson, and Grace Stephenson.

Click here for further details.

‘National Myths in Times of Crisis’, Friday 3 July, 88 minutes

A plenary talk by Professor Jo Fox, Director of the Institute of Historical Research (IHR), and Dr David Coast, Senior Lecturer at Bath Spa. Chaired by Naomi Tadmor and Henry Irving.

Click here for further details.

Thanks to all of the speakers and Kate Bradley, Georgina Brewis, Rachel Bright, Jodi Burkett, Morag Allan Campbell, Barbara Crosbie, Cara Dobbing, Jen Evans, Anne-Marie Foster, George Gosling, Matthew Grant, David Hitchcock, Henry Irving, Souvik Naha, Edda Nicolson, Andrew Walker, Tosh Warwick, Janet Weston, and especially Ruth Byrne for making this possible.