RICH news

24 February 2023 marks the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Historians Harm Kaal and Jelle van Lottum are presenting a 180-page edition of the Journal of Applied History devoted in its entirety to the Russio-Ukrainian war and how history is being used as a weapon in this conflict. “We hope this will provide insight into how we can counteract distortion and abuse of the past.”

Even if you've never read Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol, you're probably familiar with the story. From Scrooge to Tiny Tim, and from ‘bah, humbug’ to the Ghost of Christmas Past, its various elements have appeared in dozens, if not hundreds, of adaptations over the past two centuries. Chris Louttit, assistant professor of English Literature at Radboud University and President of the Dickens Society, provides some context as to why the book might be the most adapted literary work ever.

In his new book, historian Edmund Hayes reconstructs the careers of the first leaders of Twelver Shiʿism, the dominant branch of Shiʿi Islam in the world today. These leaders claimed to be mouthpieces for the hidden Imam. ‘This is the first fully historical account of the formation of the foundational doctrine of Twelver Shi'ism in the 9th-10th centuries.’

This year, Black Friday takes place on November 25. For some the perfect opportunity for discount Christmas shopping, for others a poignant illustration of consumerism. Advertising historian Wilbert Schreurs explains how the phenomenon came over from the United States.

In recent months, Dutch media have been dominated by protests: farmers laid straw bales on highways and a climate activist glued himself to the table at talk show Jinek. Nevertheless, according to Amnesty International, the right to demonstrate is under pressure in the Netherlands. Historian Carla Hoetink researches the clashing interests of authorities and protesters.

On 16 November, historian Rozemarijn Moes will receive the Martens van Sevenhoven prize for her research on the historical demography of Gelderland. Moes made a reconstruction of the population of Gelderland from prehistory to the present, mapping the development of the province. Her research is part of the large-scale project Verhaal van Gelderland.

The lives of working-class women of the past should not only be remembered for the misery they went through: these women also experienced pleasures, and it is important to commemorate that. To recognise this female pleasure, we need to redefine the concept of flâneur, argues historian Anna Geurts following her translation of Keetje trottin, a novel about the life of a working-class girl in 19th-century Amsterdam.