Royal Historical Society

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Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· 28d

This sharp decline in early career staff and pathways has meant a profound reshaping of the profile of academic History staff in UK HE, 2012/13 to 2024/25. The following chart, drawn from the BA data, shows four career stages as a % share of total staff numbers, at three points since 2012/12, 2/2

Chart showing 'Academic Staff, History, by contract / career stage, for the years: 2012/13, 2018/19 and 2024/25'

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· 28d

In addition to today's data on staffing in UK HE, @britishacademy.bsky.social has produced several briefings, including one on the very significant decline in early career academics, 2012-24: bit.ly/4wGBTcl History has seen a 32% decline in early career staff numbers since 2012/13 #Skystorians 1/2

he British Academy
Mapping SHAPE academic staff briefing:
Pathways for early career
SHAPE
academics are in decline

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· 28d

The @britishacademy.bsky.social resource also shows significant and v. concerning trends in recruitment of academic historians. The period 2018/19 to 2024/25 has seen a 25% fall (435 FPE) of staff with the contract type 'early career'. This compares to a 4% rise for senior staff #Skystorians 3/3

Screen shot of British Academy mapping staff in SHAPE showing decline in History staff (contract type 'early career' for 2018-19 to 2024-25 in all institutions: 25% decline (435 FPE).

Screen shot of British Academy mapping staff in SHAPE showing rise in History staff (contract type 'Professors' and 'Senior Career' for 2018-19 to 2024-25 in all institutions: 4% increase (30 FPE).

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· 28d

Changes in staffing vary considerably by institution / region. The period 2018/19 to 2024/25 has seen a 25% (200 FPE) decline in History staff in Post-92 institutions. HESA regions with marked falls in staff for this period incl: South-East (-32%), East of England (-22%), Yorks & Humber (-18%) 2/3

Screen shot of British Academy mapping staff in SHAPE showing decline in History staff for 2018-19 to 2024-25 in Post-92 institutions: 25% decline (200 FPE).

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· 28d

The Society will write up a summary for History for next week. Key points at this stage include: > 11% decline (-440 FPE) across all History staff between 2018/19 and 2024/25, compared with a 7% decline across all humanities > loss of 140 FPE History roles 2022/23 to 2024/25 #Skystorians 1/3

Screen shot from British Academy mapping SHAPE staff resource, showing change in History staff between 2018/19 and 2024/25. A loss of 440 FPE or 11% of the total.

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· 28d

A new resource from @britishacademy.bsky.social, out today, maps changes in UK academic staff numbers and contract types between 2012/13 & 2024/25 for the arts, humanities & social sciences bit.ly/4w47SmP You can search by subject (incl history), provider, region & forms of employment #Skystorians

Main page of new British Academy resource on Mapping SHAPE academic staff in UK HE.

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· 29d

Nilakshi introduces her new TRHS article with a blog post on 'Unsettling Shared Identity' bit.ly/4pm1Dbx As she argues, insider status is not a stable category but a relational condition. Reflecting on disciplinary training matters as much as consideration of our biographical identities 2/2

Opening page of the RHS blog post: 'Unsettling Shared Identity: Positionality and the Oral History'.

Image of recording equipment and full abstract:

'In this post, Dr Nilakshi Das introduces her new article, ‘Positionality in Oral History Research: Proximities and Paradoxes of an “Insider” Status’, recently published in ‘Transactions of the Royal Historical Society’. Drawing on thirteen life-history interviews with South Asian scientists who trained in post-war British universities, the article asks what happens to the familiar ‘insider’ and ‘outsider’ distinction when a researcher shares a broad regional identity with the people they interview. It argues that insider status is not a stable category but a shifting, relational condition, and that reflecting on our disciplinary training matters as much as consideration of our biographical identities. The article proposes a more nuanced application of positionality in historical research and analysis—one that is fluid, reflexive and critical of exclusive knowledge claims based on demographic sameness. Nilakshi’s article is now available, Open Access, via FirstView in ‘Transactions of the Royal Historical Society’.

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· 29d

What determines relationships between interviewer and interviewee in oral history research? bit.ly/4gwipCy Nilakshi Das's new Transactions article questions the value of 'insider' status, arguing instead for models of positionality based less on identity than training and approach #Skystorians 1/2

Opening page of Dr Nilakshi Das's article in 'Transactions of the Royal Historical Society': 'Positionality in Oral History Research:
Proximities and Paradoxes of ‘Insider’ Status'.

Full abstract: "A long-standing debate in oral history centres on the researcher’s positionality as either an ‘insider’ or ‘outsider’ to the research participants. This comment argues that insider
status is not a stable but a relational category, one that must be critically interrogated to avoid privileging insider perspectives. Reflecting on thirteen life-history interviews with South Asian scientists who undertook postgraduate training at post-war British universities, I examine how the normative assumption of a shared ‘South Asianness’ shaped my negotiation of the insider/outsider positionality continuum. My positionality as a South Asian researcher in the UK studying previous generations of South Asian students certainly reduced
intersubjective distance with interviewees. However, the presumption of insider status also exposes the instability of identity-based claims to authority. The immense heterogeneity of nationality, language, age, class, gender, occupation, educational and migration trajectories of the interviewees complicated any straightforward claim to insider status on my part. By examining how shared identity both enabled and complicated the research encounter, this comment destabilises the insider/outsider dialectic underpinning research positionality, arguing instead that positionality is a shifting intersubjective condition, constituted through
an iterative process of reflexive praxis within historical research and analysis."

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 11

This week we reviewed #history undergraduates' responses to the 2026 National Student Survey: bit.ly/44Xrlty Notable is the high level of appreciation for history degrees (their quality, intellectual stimulation and rigour) and the university historians who design and teach them #Skystorians

Graphic taken from a recent post in WonkHe showing responses by history students to the 2026 National Student Survey, 26 questions in total: dark green indicates the response 'Very Good' and light green 'Good'.

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 9

Qu 9 in the Survey asks: 'How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?' History again scores well here. It's within +/- 2% of responses for degrees in subjects often considered more vocational. See Chart 4: bit.ly/4eOf2FO #Skystorians

Chart of NSS 2026 date relating to Question 9: 'How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?' This shows all available CAH Level 1 subjects (including History within 'Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies') in terms of their positivity score for Question 9. HPRS scores 84.4% against an all subject mean of 86.8%.

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 9

Archive NSS data also allows us to compare trends for these same 8 questions for comparable surveys, 2022-26. See charts 2 & 3: bit.ly/4eOf2FO Positivity rates are rising, with a notable increase in those responding positively to Qu 9 about how well history prepares students for the future 2/2

NSS 2026 data, showing the change in positivity scores for Questions 5, 6, 7 and 9 of the Survey, including NSS Question 9: 'How well has your course developed your knowledge and skills that you think you will need for your future?'

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 9

The results are striking for their positivity. A comparison of responses to 8 key questions, for 'history' vs 'all subjects', shows those who teach history in UK HE, and the courses they create, compare very well when set against all subject options. See chart 1: bit.ly/4eOf2FO #Skystorians 1/2

Chart showing selected NSS date for 2026. Eight selected questions from this year's survey, comparing responses for all subjects and for History.

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 9

How highly do recent UK history graduates rate their courses and the academic historians who design and lead them? bit.ly/4eOf2FO Yesterday's publication of the 2026 National Student Survey offers a snapshot for #history and historians. Our new blog post summarises selected responses #Skystorians

Opening page of Royal Historical Society blog post: 'History and its Historians in the National Student Survey, 2026'

Full abstract: This week sees publication of the National Student Survey for 2026, by the Office for Students. This year’s survey asked final-year undergraduates (2025), finishing their studies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to complete the annual set of 26 questions on themes including teaching and assessments, academic support, and the wider student experience. The resulting data may be filtered to provide insights on recent students’ experience of a particular subjects at degree level. This includes ‘history’ and allows comparison of responses from 2025 graduates with those for all subjects studied in UK higher education. Archived data also shows trends in the views and experience of history undergraduates. In both cases, UK history undergraduates demonstrate very high levels of appreciation: for the quality of teaching by university historians, for the rigour and intellectual richness of the courses designed by these historians; and the value of a history degree in preparing them for personal and professional life on leaving university.

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 6

Friday 10 July is also the closing date for applications for the Society's next round of Teaching Fellowships: bit.ly/3QRapBH Grants support projects in innovative teaching practice, or studies of #History teaching in higher eduction. Fellowships are named for Jinty Nelson, RHS President 2000-04.

Text for Jinty Nelson Teaching fellowships, 2026-27: Launched in 2023, the Jinty Nelson Teaching Fellowships support History teaching in UK Higher Education. The Fellowships are named after Dame Jinty Nelson FBA (1942-2024), President of the Society between 2000 and 2004.

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 6

A reminder: this Friday (10 July) is the closing date for applications for the Society's Funded Book Workshop Grants, 2026-27 bit.ly/4vfL6av Grants fund a day workshop for historians writing a 2nd or 3rd monograph, to discuss their project and manuscript with up to 6 specialist readers #Skystorians

Image of book with accompanying text: "The Society's Funded Book Workshop Grants support historians, currently working on a second or third major research project, and which will lead to publication of a monograph. The Book Workshops enable an author to bring together fellow scholars to discuss and develop the manuscript of a scholarly monograph."

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 6

To accompany his new article, Marc also writes today for the Society's blog: bit.ly/3QWWcDi. Marc's new article is available free Open Access, as is all TRHS content via CUP's FirstView: bit.ly/4go55QE Submission of articles for review is warmly welcomed from all historians bit.ly/4aBnDZU 2/2

Opening page of the RHS blog post, 'Dwarfism, Institutionalisation and Marginalisation at the Court in Early Bourbon France' by Marc W. S. Jaffré. Image of Person with dwarfism dressed as a fool accompanying the fairy Macette in the court ballet Les Fées des forêts de Saint-Germain (1625). Daniel Rabel, Macette La Caprioleuse (1625). BnF, RESERVE QB-3-FOL.

Full abstract for post: "In this post, Marc Jaffré introduces his new article — ‘Dwarfism, Institutionalisation and Marginalisation at the Court in Early Bourbon France, 1589–1715’ — published in Transactions of the Royal Historical Society.

Marc’s article is a study of people with dwarfism employed as court dwarfs during the reigns of Henri IV, Louis XIII, and Louis XIV of France. Through an analysis of the varying positions held by people with dwarfism at court, and the roles they performed there, the article challenges existing historiographies that emphasise contemporary responses of ‘wonder’ and curiosity regarding physical difference.

Marc focuses instead on the activities and experiences of people with dwarfism. This shows how the archival invisibility of people with dwarfism is partly due to their reticence to be identified with the office of court dwarf. More broadly, its demonstrates the rich potential of an approach to early modern court studies that de-centres the monarch, ministers and absolutism to better understand the court – its institutions and its culture – in its own right. Marc’s new article is now available, Open Access, in Transactions via CUP’s FirstView."

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 6

New article in Transactions: 'Dwarfism, Institutionalisation and Marginalisation at the Court in Early Bourbon France, 1589–1715', by Marc W. S. Jaffré bit.ly/4viF2Ou Marc's article demonstrates the value of creative archival research for the study of marginalised groups. #Skystorians 1/2

Opening page of the 'Transactions of the Royal Historical Society' article: 'Dwarfism, Institutionalisation and Marginalisation at the Court in Early Bourbon France, 1589–1715' by Marc W. S. Jaffré.

Full abstract: "This article is a study of people with dwarfism employed as court dwarfs during the reigns of Henri IV, Louis XIII and Louis XIV of France. Through an analysis of the varying positions held by people with dwarfism at court and the roles they performed there, it challenges existing historiographies that emphasise the wonder their physical difference elicited and their function as the monarch’s alter ego to explain their presence at court. Instead of focusing on symbolic meanings attached to dwarfism, this study centres on the activities and experiences of people with dwarfism. This approach reveals that the invisibility of people with dwarfism in the archive is partly due to their reticence to be identified with the office of court dwarf. Indeed, they struggled to power the institutional development of the office because it was a constant reminder of their marginal status at court. The office’s eventual disappearance under Louis XIV thus reveals how marginalisation combined with processes of institutionalisation to destabilise the lives and careers of people with dwarfism at court. The article’s analysis rests on a granular approach to primary sources, re-emphasising the value of archival research for the study of marginalised groups, even when surviving material is relatively lacking."

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 2

Rebecca's lecture was a fascinating study of the relationship of warfare and the circulation of wealth and goods in the early modern world. Video and audio recordings will be available soon. Thanks again to Rebecca for a brilliant Prothero Lecture and to all who attended in person and online 2/2

Professor Rebecca Earle gives the 2026 Royal Historical Society Prothero Lecture: ‘The Last Voyage of the Santiago: A Ship and its World in the Age of Revolution’, on 1 July 2026.

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 2

Gianamar and Stephanie were presented with their prizes by the Society's President, Lucy Noakes, as part of the Prothero Lecture and Summer Party on the evening of Weds 1 July. Our congratulations to them both, and all those shortlisted for the 2026 Early Career Article Prize bit.ly/4ayG69t 4/4

Lucy Noakes announces the winners of the 2026 RHS First Book and Early Career Article Prizes.

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 2

Yesterday evening, the Society was delighted to announce the winners of its 2026 First Book and Early Career Article prizes: bit.ly/44HbAH2 Many congratulations to the winners of the 2026 RHS Early Career Article Prize: Dr Gianamar Giovannetti-Singh and Dr Stephanie Wanga 1/4 #Skystorians

Images of the journals 'Past and Present' and 'Development and Change' and the text: Early Career Article Prize

WINNERS, 2026

Gianamar Giovannetti-Singh &
Stephanie Wanga

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 2

Kiran and John were presented with their prizes by the Society's President, Lucy Noakes, as part of the RHS Prothero Lecture and Summer Party on the evening of Wednesday 1 July. Our congratulations to Kiran and John, and all those shortlisted for the 2026 First Book Prize bit.ly/4at61PV 4/4

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 2

John Latham-Sprinkle's book, 'The North Caucasian Kingdom of Alania, 850-1240' is described by the judges as 'a masterly study which shows how historical analysis can be brought to bear even when source material is largely absent or fragmentary.' 3/4

Cover image of of John Latham-Sprinkle's book The North Caucasian Kingdom of Alania, 850-1240 (Cambridge University Press, 2025)

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 2

Kiran Mehta's book, 'To Detain or To Punish: Magistrates and the Making of the London Prison System, 1750-1840' bit.ly/4xRg23k is described by the judges as 'a highly original monograph that addresses a notable gap in studies of early modern crime and punishment' 2/4 @kiranmehta.bsky.social

Image of Kiran Mehta's 'To Detain or To Punish: Magistrates and the Making of the London Prison System, 1750-1840' (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2025)

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jul 2

Yesterday evening, the Society was delighted to announce the winners of its 2026 First Book and Early Career prizes: bit.ly/44HbAH2 Many congratulations to the winners of the 2026 RHS First Book Prize: Dr Kiran Mehta and Dr John Latham-Sprinkle 1/4 #Skystorians

Images of book covers for Kiran Mehta's book 'To Detain or To Punish: Magistrates and the Making of the London Prison System, 1750-1840' (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2025) and John Latham-Sprinkle's 'The North Caucasian Kingdom of Alania, 850-1240' (Cambridge University Press) with text First Book Prize

WINNERS, 2026

Kiran Mehta &
John Latham-Sprinkle

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jun 30

A full list of shortlisted articles for the 2026 prize is available here: bit.ly/3QsFxXX The winners of this year's First Book and Early Career Article Prizes will be announced tomorrow evening at the Society's 2026 Prothero Lecture, and circulated on BlueSky on Thursday 2/2

Text for the listing of the Royal Historical Society's 2026 Early Career Article Prize:

"The Royal Historical Society’s Early Career Article Prize 2026 recognises the scholarly contribution and quality of journal articles published in 2025. This year’s shortlist of eight articles is now available and follows an open call for early career historians to submit a article or book chapter, published last year, for consideration. Two final winners of the 2026 prize will be chosen, with the announcement to take place in July. Also now available: the shortlist of the Society’s First Book Prize, 2026, for a first scholarly monograph written by an early career historian and published in 2025."

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jun 30

Today we finish our preview of the 8 articles shortlisted for the Society's 2026 Early Career Article Prize. Today: 'Challenging the overseer: enslaved women’s violent resistance in the US antebellum South', by Erin Shearer bit.ly/4aYCH3U in 'American Nineteenth Century History' #Skystorians 1/2

Image the journal 'American Nineteenth Century History' and text: 'Challenging the overseer: enslaved women’s violent resistance in the US antebellum South'.

Erin Shearer
American Nineteenth Century History

SHORTLISTED

Royal Historical Society Early Career Article Prize, 2026

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jun 29

Full details of books shortlisted for the 2026 prize are available here: bit.ly/4eeHNKl The winners of this year's @royalhistsoc.org First Book and Early Career Article Prizes will be announced this Wednesday evening, 1 July, at the Society's 2026 Prothero Lecture, 2/2

Front page of blog listing shortlist of the 2026 RHS First Book Prize, 2026.

With full text: "The Royal Historical Society’s First Book Prize 2026 recognises the scholarly contribution and quality of history monographs published in 2025. This year’s shortlist of eight titles is now available and follows an open call for early career historians to submit a first sole-authored monograph, published last year, for consideration. Two final winners of the 2025 prize will be chosen, with the announcement to take place in early July. The shortlist of the Society’s second annual prize – the Early Career Article Prize, 2026 – for an article written by an early career historian within three years of completion of a PhD, is also now available."

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jun 29

This week we complete our review of the 8 monographs and 8 articles shortlisted for the Society's 2026 First Book and Early Career Article Prizes. Today: 'The North Caucasian Kingdom of Alania, 850-1240' by John Latham-Sprinkle (Cambridge University Press) bit.ly/444kOgl 1/2 #Skystorians'

Cover image of 'The North Caucasian Kingdom of Alania, 850-1240'

by John Latham-Sprinkle (Cambridge University Press)

SHORTLISTED

Royal Historical Society
First Book Prize, 2026

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jun 26

A full list of shortlisted articles for the 2026 prize is available here: bit.ly/3QsFxXX The winners of this year's First Book and Early Career Article Prizes will be announced on 1 July at the Society's 2026 Prothero Lecture, 2/2

Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc· Jun 26

Over the next week, we feature the 8 articles shortlisted for the Society's 2026 Early Career Article Prize. Today: 'Hong Kong Colonial Government Migrated Archives at Hanslope Park' by Matthew Hurst, bit.ly/4g7J60e published in the 'Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History' #Skystorians 1/2