Marybeth Hamilton
@marybethhamilton13.bsky.social
Writer, historian, podcaster.
Who held the power during an arrest in early modern England? @lucyjsclarke.bsky.social explores how bystanders could uphold or undermine the power of the state.
Being an Audience to Arrest
Lucy Clarke examines the arrest in early modern England, reconstructing how bystanders could legitimise or challenge the power of the state.
historyworkshop.org.uk
What can pills advertised to women in nineteenth century London tell us about the history of at-home abortion? Julia Porter Burke reveals the story of Lady Montrose.
Lady Montrose and the At-Home Abortion
What can an advertisement in a nineteenth century London newspaper tell us about the history of at-home abortion?
historyworkshop.org.uk
📣 Call for Applications 📣 History Workshop is seeking to appoint one Editorial Fellow in 2026, with specialism in pre-1800 CE history from any part of the globe. This is a part-time, paid role. Application deadline: 7 August 2026. Please share widely!
Call for Applications: Editorial Fellowship at History Workshop, 2026
History Workshop is seeking to appoint one Editorial Fellow in 2026, with specialism in pre-1800 CE history from any part of the globe.
historyworkshop.org.uk
How can academics write with compassion and ethical clarity about issues of sexual violence? How can they craft analysis that is sensitive to the fraught emotions this subject so often provokes? @ruthbeecher.bsky.social and Julie Wheelwright discuss the challenge of writing difficult subjects 🎙️
Writing Difficult Subjects
How can historians write with compassion and ethical clarity about issues of sexual violence?
historyworkshop.org.uk
What can we learn about queer lives and queer history from the call logs of the UK's first LGBTQ+ helpline? @tashwalker.bsky.social and @adamzmith.bsky.social discuss their award-winning podcast The Log Books with @marybethhamilton13.bsky.social 🎙️
Recovering Queer History in the Log Books
What can we learn about queer lives and queer history from the call logs of the UK's first LGBTQ+ helpline? Tash Walker and Adam Zmith on their award-winning podcast The Log Books.
historyworkshop.org.uk
'Theoretically, their objective was to collect information on public order - but the vast majority of their reports were personal information about people attending meetings. It's worth highlighting just how gross and intrusive this was.' Chris Brian on the Spycops scandal.
Undercover Policing and the British Left
What do the materials unearthed in the UK's Undercover Policing Inquiry reveal about the abuse of social justice activists by the surveillance state?
historyworkshop.org.uk
The Spycops scandal revealed a shocking history of police abuse, from monitoring activists to forming sexual relationships under false identities. Marybeth Hamilton speaks to Jessica, who unknowingly had a relationship with an undercover officer, and researcher Chris Brian.
Undercover Policing and the British Left
What do the materials unearthed in the UK's Undercover Policing Inquiry reveal about the abuse of social justice activists by the surveillance state?
historyworkshop.org.uk
"Genocide. I keep turning the word over. It always seems to arrive too late. By the time it reaches us, by the time it becomes part of our soundwaves, our background ambience, countless lives have already gone." suzan meryem rosita on the vocabulary of genocide and war.
Genocide is a Verb
How might historians write nonviolently about violence? In this personal essay, suzan meryem rosita reflects on the vocabulary of genocide and war.
historyworkshop.org.uk
In August 2025, our editorial collective spent an afternoon exploring the contents of the History Workshop archive held @bishopsgateinst.bsky.social 🗃️ Marybeth Hamilton, Elly Robson, Mary Katherine Newman, Marral Shamshiri, Vivien Chan and Beckie Rutherford reflect on their radical findings.
Reflections on a Radical Archive
In the final article of this series, our editorial team discuss their findings from an afternoon spent collectively exploring the History Workshop archive.
historyworkshop.org.uk
The idea of making amends for slavery has a long genealogy in Britain. Catherine Hall (@cslbs.bsky.social) examines this history alongside vital questions of race and repair for our present moment.
Questions of Race and Repair
The idea of making amends for slavery has a long genealogy in Britain. Catherine Hall examines this history alongside vital questions of race and repair for our present moment.
historyworkshop.org.uk
"We have a challenge here in the face of appalling things happening around the world not to give in to a politics of despair because that's exactly what the people in power want us to do." Laura C. Forster, Julia Laite, Laura Schwartz, Anne Irfan and Jo Kelcey on doing history in turbulent times.
History Workshop in Turbulent Times
How can history offer illumination and hope at a time of global upheaval and chaos?
historyworkshop.org.uk
For the last few years I've been working on a book on Valerie Solanas, the politics of madness, and the boundaries of feminist history. You can get a glimpse of it in this piece just out in History Workshop's digital magazine (which links to a longer article in History Workshop Journal 100).
Mad Lives and Feminist History
What entitles a life to a place in the annals of feminist history? Marybeth Hamilton explores the marginalisation of writer and drifter, Valerie Solanas.
historyworkshop.org.uk
“Solitude is not unitary but plural, a field of experience lived in multiple registers.” Barbara Taylor considers the varying nature of solitude within the iconic adventure novel, Robinson Crusoe.
Solitude Has Many Faces
Solitude has been, and remains, one of the most puzzling eternals of the human condition. Barbara Taylor discusses what the 1719 novel Robinson Crusoe reveals about its many faces.
historyworkshop.org.uk
How has the History Workshop Journal collective sustained its commitment to radical history over fifty tumultuous years? Two HWJ veterans, Sally Alexander and Jeffrey Weeks, sat down to share their memories with @beckierutherford.bsky.social and @inoutofpractice.bsky.social🎙✊🏻
Working Collectively Then and Now
How did History Workshop Journal's editorial collective sustain its commitment to radical history over fifty tumultuous years? Sally Alexander and Jeffrey Weeks discuss.
historyworkshop.org.uk
"It is easy to forget the fact that those who first popularised the term ‘culture war’ to describe the convulsions of late 20th century American cultural politics did so in such explicit dialogue with 19th century Germany." Robert D. Priest on the origins of culture wars.
The Origins of Culture Wars
How is the concept of culture wars rooted in the social and political struggles of nineteenth century Germany? Robert D. Priest explores.
historyworkshop.org.uk
The new issue of History Workshop Journal is out: issue 100, marking 50 years of the journal's existence. It's more necessary than ever. academic.oup.com/hwj/issue/10...
"What kinds of histories and stories might be useful for radical social movements and political struggles today, to overcome the enormous challenges that we face?" Current and former History Workshop editors reflect on the 50th anniversary of the History Workshop collective.
Radical Synergies
Three of our past and present editors reflect on the ways in which History Workshop Journal has influenced and inspired their practice during their time on the History Workshop collective.
historyworkshop.org.uk
It was exciting to be invited to help celebrate @historyworkshop.org.uk’s anniversary, especially as it gave me yet another reason to rave about teaching with Michaela Kalcher’s work on trauma, the Terror, and an incredible diary doi.org/10.1093/hwj/...
The Self in the Shadow of the Guillotine: Revolution, Terror and Trauma in a Parisian Diary
Céléstin Guittard de Floriban did not leave much of a mark on history. Born in 1724 in the Champenois village of Evergnicourt, he married but remained chil
doi.org
History Workshop@historyworkshop.org.uk · 7mo agoThis year, History Workshop Journal will celebrate two milestones: its 50th anniversary and its 100th issue. To mark the occasion, eleven historians share how they've used the journal in their own teaching.
This year, History Workshop Journal will celebrate two milestones: its 50th anniversary and its 100th issue. To mark the occasion, eleven historians share how they've used the journal in their own teaching.
HWJ in the Classroom
From histories of the French Revolution, to policing in Early Modern England, to LGBTQ+ histories, these reflections highlight HWJ as a valuable resource across many different classrooms.
historyworkshop.org.uk
It's that time of year again... the History Workshop team present our "Radical Reads" for 2025! www.historyworkshop.... Image source: Openverse.
HWJ is 50 years old next year and we're about to launch a fab new series of articles and podcasts all in celebration of the 100th issue! Come along in January and wish us a Happy Birthday 🥳
History Workshop@historyworkshop.org.uk · 8mo agoNext year we are co-hosting a celebration event with @rshc.bsky.social to mark the 100th issue of History Workshop Journal. 📍Birkbeck, University of London 🗓️Saturday 31 January 2026 ⏱️14:00-18:00 Everyone welcome! Please make sure to book via the link below.
History Workshop Journal’s 100th Issue: a celebration 31 Jan 2026, 2.00pm, Bloomsbury, London Speakers include former and newer editors, and friends of the journal. To join us, book here HWJ100.eventbrite.co.uk @bbkhistorical.bsky.social @qmul.bsky.social
Have just discovered that my article on Valerie Solanas, art, madness, and feminism (in HWJ issue 100) can also be accessed outside the paywall here: eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/56...
eprints.bbk.ac.uk
I've got a new article on Valerie Solanas and her place in feminist history, part of the 100th issue of History Workshop Journal. academic.oup.com/hwj/advance-...
Feminism, Artistry, Madness, and the Ghost of Valerie Solanas
Abstract. Valerie Solanas holds an unsettled place in feminist history, notorious for both her incendiary 1967 diatribe the SCUM Manifesto and her near-fat
academic.oup.com
Join us! We are advertising two part-time, paid Editorial Fellowships at History Workshop in 2025-27. Our fellowships support early career historians to develop expertise in public, radical and digital history & to gain experience of working in an editorial team. www.historyworkshop....
Call for Applications: Editorial Fellowships at History Workshop, 2025
History Workshop is advertising two part-time, paid Editorial Fellowships in 2025, open to early career historians.
historyworkshop.org.uk
A Penguin editor looking around their office this morning.
trump: I’m going to protect women women: no thank you trump: I’m gonna do it women: please don’t trump: I have kicked those 7 trans girls off the jv volleyball team women: what trump: and brought back andrew tate women: why trump: YOU’RE WELCOME WOMEN also you can’t vote anymore
