History@Portsmouth

University of Portsmouth's History Blog

Author Archive | Robert James

students at portsmouth

A History degree can open many doors II: A student interviews UoP History graduates

By on November 1, 2022 in Alumni, Employability, Learning in Focus, Uncategorized

In this blog Archie Godden, recent History with American Studies graduate from Portsmouth, discusses a project he undertook as part of the second year module, ‘Working with the Past’. Archie and some of his fellow students interviewed recent UoP History graduates and asked them about their careers since graduating, Archie found out that having a degree in the Arts and Humanities has been really beneficial to them, something also highlighted in recent studies by organisations such as the British Academy, which Archie also discusses here. The module ‘Working with the Past’ is coordinated by Dr Mike Esbester. A History degree offers the potential for a vast range of jobs, so […]

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‘”Bandied about for a place of refuge”: Extreme Weather, Coastal Shipping and the Loss of Lord Nelson, Liverpool 1840.’

By on October 26, 2022 in Research in Focus, Uncategorized

On 19 October 2022 our own Dr Cathryn Pearce, Senior Lecturer in Maritime History, presented at the first History research seminar of this academic year with a thought-provoking paper looking at the grounding of the coastal brig Lord Nelson at Liverpool, UK, and the civic and social responsibility for seafarers and the shipwrecked in a port dominated by shipping interest. If you missed the paper, the recording is available on the Port Towns and Urban Cultures website here (scroll down to find Cathy’s paper).  

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Bridging the gap between the academic and non-academic worlds II: Making research accessible

By on October 18, 2022 in Learning in Focus, Public History, Uncategorized

In this blog Dan Squire, who graduated with a History degree from Portsmouth in July (well done, Dan!), discusses a project he worked on last year with some of his fellow History students for the module ‘Working with the Past’, coordinated by Dr Mike Esbester. As part of their project, the students looked into how academic historians take their work ‘out of the academy’ and into the public realm. Dan and his fellow students interviewed our Dr Mel Bassett, who researches the history of dockyard workers, to find out how she has tried to engage the wider public in the history she studies. As part of our work for the […]

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UoP’s History Society welcomes new faces

By on September 23, 2022 in Events, News, Uncategorized

In the following short blog, third year UoP history student Pauline Standley encourages new students to join our student history society. The recently-formed history society NEED YOU to come and be part of a group who love history! We are a casual, student-led group currently run by third-year History students. As a society, we want to encourage discussion on anything historical, whether it be what we’ve been taught in lectures, a Henry VIII podcast which randomly came up on your Spotify recommendations, the most recent Russell Crowe historical movie, even down to hilarious history memes you’ve scoped out! Throughout the year, we are here to help whether it be a […]

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Researching memories of D-Day: A student podcast

By on September 1, 2022 in Employability, Learning in Focus, Public History, Research in Focus

Recently, the internationally-renowned museum, The D-Day Story, published on their website a podcast recorded in 2021 by three second year History students, Joshua Bown, Angus Grieve and Shannen Smylie. The students worked with the museum’s archives as part of their assessment for the ‘Working with the Past’ module, coordinated by Mike Esbester. The second-year module encourages students to work with our local community partners where possible and produce work that has a benefit to them and the organisation they are working with. To hear the podcast, go to the D-Day Story website here.

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‘More diverse and culturally inclusive’: Post-war immigration and its impact on British culture

By on August 26, 2022 in Learning in Focus, Research in Focus

In this blog, recent BA (Hons) History with Politics graduate Phil Matthews reflects on the impact immigration has had on British culture in the post-Second World War era. Phil, who wrote the blog as part of his assessment for the second year module ‘Working with the Past’, coordinated by Dr Mike Esbester, describes how many aspects of British culture changed as a result of mass immigration into the country in the latter half of the twentieth century. Britain, Phil notes, transformed into a multi-ethnic society and benefitted massively from immigrants bringing their own country’s cultures with them. The twentieth century normalised the multi-cultural society that we live in today, Phil […]

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