Exciting plans for the future of History
Venerable history journal finds a new home on Tyneside. Tony Henderson reports
Tyneside is to be the new home for a prestigious publication.
History is the journal of the London-based Historical Association, which is a membership organisation of historians and scholars founded in 1906.
It will now be produced at Northumbria University, led by new editor-in-chief Dr Daniel Laqua and a team of 15 academics with expertise covering a wide variety of historical periods.
They will work together to oversee the next phase of the 112-year-old journal’s development.
They plan to develop the journal’s online presence, expand the reviews section to cover exhibitions and films as well as books, and establish a forum section through which those working in, or with an interest in history can exchange ideas.
History is published five times a year as a platform for original research, but Dr Laqua says: “People in general are interested in history and we will be looking at making it more accessible to a wider public.”
The Historical Association’s goals include supporting "the study and enjoyment of history at all levels by creating an environment that promotes lifelong learning and provides for the evolving needs of people who share an interest in history".
The association has 58 branches through the UK, including on Tyneside, which run a variety of events ranging from historical talks to walks and visits.
Northumbria University has developed a reputation for excellence in the teaching of history and research in the subject. History at Northumbria is ranked 26th in the UK for research power, out of 81 institutions, and is placed in the top 10 for its history research outputs.
The editorship of History was decided through a competitive tender process, with Northumbria’s commitment to interdisciplinary working and breadth of research among the reasons it was chosen.
Dr Laqua said: “We have exciting plans for the future of History. By expanding the journal’s availability online, we hope to make it more accessible so that anyone with an interest in history can engage with the articles and other content.”
Prof Charlotte Alston, head of the Department of Humanities at Northumbria University, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting History, one of the longest running English-language history journals.
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“It’s a testament to the strength and breadth of our History team that they’ve been asked to take this on. We’re looking forward to seeing all the exciting developments that they have planned for the journal, and to strengthening our relationship with the Historical Association.”
Rebecca Sullivan, chief executive of the Historical Association, said: “The team at Northumbria University provided a strong and exciting tender that will take the journal into new areas while not losing any of its existing scholarly reputation.
“We are looking forward to how those new developments from the team reflect the changes and challenges that are present in academia today.
“The journal History is one of the most respected elements of the HA’s output and one of the oldest, it is something that we at the HA are proud of, so it is important to us that we have an enthusiastic and capable team as editors.
“We are looking forward to working with the university and building a strong relationship between our two organisations."