The Urban History Group
urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com We organise biennial conferences and occasional talks to promote the study of Urban History in the UK. Established in 1966 and now working with the Pre-Modern Towns Group on our conference in September 2025
- Reposted by The Urban History Group📚New book!!! So happy to share that ‘Why Historic Places Matter Emotionally’ has just been published by Cambridge University Press. Outlines a conceptual framework for ‘emotion’ comprised of responses, attachments, and communities built from evidence from places across England and Scotland.
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupReally excited about this new #OpenAccess book by @imadgination03.bsky.social! "Why Historic Places Matter Emotionally" explores emotional attachment to the historic built environment in Scotland and England, and offers a framework for understanding other historic places 👉 doi.org/10.1017/9781...
- 'Segregation in cities remains a major concern in many parts of the world, including Britain, so understanding what people experienced in Manchester, one of the world’s first industrialised cities, is really important' www.theguardian.com/education/20...
- Was Manchester really as segregated as Engels said? What kept the rich and poor apart.... if anything? My first article is out today in @historicaljnl.bsky.social and I'm so pleased to share it with you all! doi:10.1017/S0018246X25101246 @stjohnscollege.bsky.social @camunicampop.bsky.social
- Really great to see @emvchung.bsky.social's wonderful @historicaljnl.bsky.social article covered in @theguardian.com! Check out the #OpenAccess article: doi.org/10.1017/S001... And another write up: www.cam.ac.uk/stories/mixe...
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupIf you're looking for the short on my new article, Dr Tom Almeroth-Williams has made it easy for you! 👇👇
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupWas Manchester really as segregated as Engels said? What kept the rich and poor apart.... if anything? My first article is out today in @historicaljnl.bsky.social and I'm so pleased to share it with you all! doi:10.1017/S0018246X25101246 @stjohnscollege.bsky.social @camunicampop.bsky.social
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupHi @urbanhistorygroup.bsky.social CFP for @eurohealthhist.bsky.social session at European Association for Urban History conf in Barcelona (2-5 Sept 2026). Urban Healthcare Architecture: Networks and Exchanges in 20th Century www.eauhbarcelona2026.eu/sessions/#session83 deadline: 22 Oct 2025).
- Reposted by The Urban History Group
- Very pleased that my piece 'Urban history as urgent work, an argument for disciplinary promiscuity' has been published in @urbanhistory.bsky.social doi.org/10.1017/S096... Many thanks to @mctom.bsky.social for organising the roundtable that got these thoughts going back in 2023! #UrbanHist #EnvHums
- Simon Gunn, Erika Hanna and Krista Cowman spoke about their contributions to this book at #UHG2025 a few weeks ago. Very excited to see this out soon 👇
- "Our purpose in The Modern British City is not merely to describe urban change but to explain why British cities, in all their extraordinary multifariousness, look and feel the way they do today" Really excited for this expansive new book coming out in November www.lundhumphries.com/blogs/featur...
- Reposted by The Urban History Group📣 We're looking for a new Bibliographer to join the #UrbanHistory team! This is a great opportunity to get involved with a world-leading academic journal and find out about the latest urban history publications. Apply by 5pm on Friday 6 November. Contact Roey Sweet for more details.
- Well that was good! Thank you so much to all the speakers and delegates for making our first joint conference with the Pre-Modern Towns Group so enlivening and stimulating. It's #EAUH2026 in Barcelona next year but watch this space for news of #UHG2027!
- Setting up for #UHG2025 Thank you @royalhistsoc.org for helping us show we know the value of history @uniofleicester.bsky.social!
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupWas great to share an aspect of my research with the Urban History Group yesterday, it's been a great conference so far! Many thanks to the @urbanhistorygroup.bsky.social organisers!
- Setting up for #UHG2025 Thank you @royalhistsoc.org for helping us show we know the value of history @uniofleicester.bsky.social!
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupLatest version of What is Urban History?, published in Korean! A true transnational volume,
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupI enjoyed writing my contribution to this blog (see the 🧵) but enjoyed reading the others even more. Very exciting to see how vibrant urban history research currently is
- This time next week, we'll be in Leicester for #UHG2025! In the meantime, why not check out our blog series ft. research by early career urban historians. 👉 Aaron Andrews on the past, present and future of urban history (group) urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2025/01/27/t...
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupPublication day for "State-Making in an Age of Revolution, 1830-1880"! The full book - including my chapter "‘A Dead Letter in the Hands of Local Authorities’? Implementing Public Health Legislation in French Provincial Cities, 1850–60" - is here www.jstor.org/stable/jj.31...
- This time next week, we'll be in Leicester for #UHG2025! In the meantime, why not check out our blog series ft. research by early career urban historians. 👉 Aaron Andrews on the past, present and future of urban history (group) urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2025/01/27/t...
- 🗺️ @emvchung.bsky.social on urban history and the digital frontier urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2025/02/05/n... 🏘️ @historywill.bsky.social on urban history and crises of housing urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2025/02/25/u...
- ❓ Joe Chick asking what is a town? urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2025/03/19/w... ✈️ Will Sanders on aerial threat and the city urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2025/03/28/a... 📍 Charlotte Tomlinson on placemaking, urban history, and story-telling urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2025/04/15/p...
- 🌇 @aporayskipomsta.bsky.social on urban history from the peripheries urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2025/05/18/u... 🎙️ Isabelle Carter on oral history and the city urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2025/07/05/o...
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupPublished today: 'Waterscapes: Reservoirs, Environment and Identity in Modern England and Wales', by Andrew McTominey bit.ly/4n4LkxB 'Waterscapes' is the 23rd title in the Society's New Historical perspectives book series, published @uolpress.bsky.social. Available free Open Access and in print 1/2
- Reposted by The Urban History Group📢CfP! At the #EAUH2026 in Barcelona (sept 26), Hilde, Rosa and I are organising a session on the long term history of lodgers/boarders. We welcome papers on any area between 1500 and now. Interested? www.eauhbarcelona2026.eu/sessions/#se... Or DM me directly. Sharing is welcome #UrbanHistory
- 🚨 There's only a week left to register for #UHG2026 🚨 Join us @uniofleicester.bsky.social for lots of great papers, fantastic people (if we do say so ourselves), and a reception to mark the fortieth anniversary of the Centre for Urban History! www.tickettailor.com/events/urban...
- 📣 Book your place for #UHG2025 👉 The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern 🗓️ 4-5 September 📍 University of Leicester 🔗 www.tickettailor.com/events/urban...
- 📣 Don't forget to book your place for #UHG2025 👉 The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern 🗓️ 4-5 September 📍 University of Leicester 🔗 www.tickettailor.com/events/urban...
- Just one month to go until #UHG2025! Lots of fantastic papers, plenaries, and a drinks reception kindly sponsored by @urbanhistory.bsky.social Book your place: www.tickettailor.com/events/urban...
- Papers cover everything from medieval smocks to the London queer scene in the 1990s #UHGIsBack!
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupCome for the new history of 1920s and 1930s London, stay for the discount... Waterstones are offering 25% off pre-orders Songs of Seven Dials this week: just enter SUMMER25 at checkout. Book is out on 21 Oct – in time for autumnal nights & Christmas gifts. www.waterstones.com/book/songs-o...
- The programme for our new biennial conference, held at the University of Leicester from 4th to 5th September 2025 is now available: urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...
- Don't forget to register for #UHG2025! 👇
- 📣 Registration is now open for #UHG2025! We're excited to welcome you to our first conference organised with the Pre-Modern Towns Group. The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern 🗓️ 4-5 September 2025 📍 University of Leicester
- "Mary spoke mainly of her husband, her children, her parents, her friends – her narrative slipping across time to blur past and present. Yet, Park Hill’s influence over these relationships was apparent throughout" Wonderful post by Isabelle Carter-Pearson on housing, oral history, and the city
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupI'm looking for participants for my oral history on space and feminism! Please share with anybody you feel may have contacts and email me if you have any questions or would like to get involved: sinead.carter@pgr.reading.ac.uk
- 'it is the ways in which urban history has worked with other forms... that has made this such a rich and fluid avenue of history to pursue' Wonderful new blog by Isabelle Carter-Pearson on oral history and the city
- Book your place for #UHG2025! The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern 🗓️ 4-5 September 2025 📍 University of Leicester
- Book your space for #UHG2025 👇
- 📣 Registration is now open for #UHG2025! We're excited to welcome you to our first conference organised with the Pre-Modern Towns Group. The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern 🗓️ 4-5 September 2025 📍 University of Leicester
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupMy biography of Derek Keene, former colleague and founding director of the Centre for Metropolitan History, now available on the ODNB website (behind paywall). www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1...
- Don’t forget to book your place for #UHG2025! The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern 🗓️ 4-5 September 📍 University of Leicester
- Reposted by The Urban History Group🗣️ Public lecture On the 2nd of July Prof. em. Carl Nightingale will give a public lecture titled ‘Urban History and Earth Time: Five Big Stories About Cities and Their Planet’. The lecture will be followed by a reception. Register before Friday 30 June via this link: lnkd.in/e67JhpDd
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupVery excited for the return of @urbanhistorygroup.bsky.social conference, this year co-organised with the Pre-Modern Towns Group for the first time! 👇
- 📣 Registration is now open for #UHG2025! We're excited to welcome you to our first conference organised with the Pre-Modern Towns Group. The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern 🗓️ 4-5 September 2025 📍 University of Leicester
- 📣 Registration is now open for #UHG2025! We're excited to welcome you to our first conference organised with the Pre-Modern Towns Group. The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern 🗓️ 4-5 September 2025 📍 University of Leicester
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupWe’ve just launched a free online course on ‘Born-digital research in the humanities’ reshaped.sas.ac.uk. It covers key concepts, ethics, copyright & accessing, collecting and analysing born-digital data. You can browse the course with guest access or create an account. All CC-BY-NC licensed!
- Great list of recent public scholarly works, including @aporayskipomsta.bsky.social on #UrbanHistory from the peripheries. Check it out! 👇
- For this long & commemorative holiday weekend, my super-sized 226th #ScholarSunday thread is full of thoughtful public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the last week. Add more below, share widely, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ americanstudier.substack.com/p/scholarsun...
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupAnother excellent entry in the @urbanhistorygroup.bsky.social blog series, by PhD student @aporayskipomsta.bsky.social
- How did the definition of the 'urban' and the 'suburban' affect the lives of residents? Antoni Porayski-Pomsta (@camhistory.bsky.social) addresses this important question through his research on early twentieth century Warsaw
- How did the definition of the 'urban' and the 'suburban' affect the lives of residents? Antoni Porayski-Pomsta (@camhistory.bsky.social) addresses this important question through his research on early twentieth century Warsaw
- New Cambridge Working Paper in Economic and Social History by @emvchung.bsky.social Granular Georeferencing in Industrial Manchester, 1851-1901 doi.org/10.17863/CAM...
- Read the full paper here: doi.org/10.17863/CAM.117739 Learn more about the Cambridge Working Papers in Economic and Social History: www.econsoc.hist.cam.ac.uk/working_papers.php
- Designating 'the urban and the suburban could be highly consequential. Areas outside the city limits were neglected in sanitary terms... witnessed higher death rates during epidemics... [& saw] excessive violence' Fascinating new post by Antoni Porayski-Pomsta on #UrbanHistory from the peripheries
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupChanging the Record The power of paperwork: how do those on the margins keep paper trails to protect their existence, then change their situation through it? 19 May, 6pm, London WC1E Book here www.ChangingTheRecord.eventbrite.co.uk @qmul.ac.uk @onslies.bsky.social @bbkhistorical.bsky.social
- Woohoo! We received *so many* fantastic abstracts. Looking forward to welcoming everyone to Leicester in September for #UHG2025
- Yay!! I’ve had my paper accepted to the @urbanhistorygroup.bsky.social conf. I’m really excited to be sharing this research. With James Owens I’m going to be speaking on a 1912 diary of a rescue officer who ran a refuge house for male sex workers & his tours around London. Who else is there?
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupYay!! I’ve had my paper accepted to the @urbanhistorygroup.bsky.social conf. I’m really excited to be sharing this research. With James Owens I’m going to be speaking on a 1912 diary of a rescue officer who ran a refuge house for male sex workers & his tours around London. Who else is there?
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupRegister now! A workshop for early career urban historians on preparing article manuscripts for journal submission + seeking funding for turning a thesis into a book. Free & open to all scholars in the field. globalurbanhistory.org/content.aspx?page_id=331&club_id=803980&item_id=37685
- "Placemaking and place-shaping initiatives which look to urban history and people’s connections to it are thus becoming ever more important to the contemporary city" Charlotte Tomlinson on placemaking, #UrbanHistory, and stories of post-industrial #Hull
- "‘Composure’ asks us to consider not only what histories people tell, but how and why they tell them. A thorough understanding of placemaking policies and practices demands the same" New blog by Charlotte Tomlinson on 'Placemaking, Urban History, and Composing Stories of Post-Industrial Cities'
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupThis is - given that we produce histories of places large, small, and middling in various ways - quite an important set of questions. 'Townishness' is more than just a size question - without a clear answer, partly because it can and does change over time. This blog from Joe Chick is worth a read.
- 'A non-agricultural economy can certainly be seen as the distinction between urban and rural. However, boundaries between agricultural villages and commercial towns were far from clear-cut in the medieval era' Joe Chick asks, 'What is a town?' #skystorians #medievalsky #urbanhistory
- ‘The city had, by virtue of aerial threat and the suffering of bombardments between 1914 and 1918, been transformed into a new battlefront. From this point onwards, the protection of the city and its inhabitants was included in the list of defensive concerns to Britain at war’ New, by Will Sanders
- New blog post by Will Sanders on 'Aerial Threat and the City' Sanders discusses his doctoral research on aerial warfare during the Second World War, the importance of #UrbanHistory approaches, and the work of the Lviv Center for Urban History in documenting the invasion of Ukraine
- New blog post by Will Sanders on 'Aerial Threat and the City' Sanders discusses his doctoral research on aerial warfare during the Second World War, the importance of #UrbanHistory approaches, and the work of the Lviv Center for Urban History in documenting the invasion of Ukraine
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupAn important question (and not only for the Middle Ages - government, and no end of communities struggle to get their heads around this, today, too).
- 'A non-agricultural economy can certainly be seen as the distinction between urban and rural. However, boundaries between agricultural villages and commercial towns were far from clear-cut in the medieval era' Joe Chick asks, 'What is a town?' #skystorians #medievalsky #urbanhistory
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupIntriguing blog. We look at medieval towns/villages at GCSE and it blows their minds how small everything was in terms to population. My students live in a mini new town of no importance. Yet it has a population of the biggest medieval city.
- 'A non-agricultural economy can certainly be seen as the distinction between urban and rural. However, boundaries between agricultural villages and commercial towns were far from clear-cut in the medieval era' Joe Chick asks, 'What is a town?' #skystorians #medievalsky #urbanhistory
- 'A non-agricultural economy can certainly be seen as the distinction between urban and rural. However, boundaries between agricultural villages and commercial towns were far from clear-cut in the medieval era' Joe Chick asks, 'What is a town?' #skystorians #medievalsky #urbanhistory
- In our latest #UrbanHistory blog post, Joe Chick examines medieval small towns to ask a big question: what is a town? #medievalsky @archanchistleic.bsky.social
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupIt exists! My new book is out later this year with Reaktion Books. If you are famous and/or a public intellectual and want to review it/provide a pull quote, DM. #ProtestHistory #Commons reaktionbooks.co.uk/work/contest...
- Reposted by The Urban History Group🚨 Call for papers! 🎶 'Sounds of the City: The Urban Geography of Popular Music, 1930-2000' 👉 AISU Association of Italian Urban History Conference, Palermo, 10-13 September 2025 🗓️ Deadline: 3 May 2025 🔗 aisuinternational.org/en/palermo-2...
- 'Issues with substandard and insufficient housing in France and beyond have only exacerbated in recent years' In case you missed it, @historywill.bsky.social's recent blog post explores housing crises in nineteenth-century and present-day France @manchesterup.bsky.social @uomsalc.bsky.social
- Reposted by The Urban History Groupomg my first (non student) academic prize!!! 😍 article open access here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... thank you ACIS!
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupThe Urban History Group has launched a new regular blog series to coincide with the return of their conference Here are my thoughts on researching the history of housing crises during an era of housing crisis, as well as the key role of the UHG in these discussions of the urban past and present
- 'It is difficult not to draw parallels between contemporary housing crises and the urban history of housing that I have been working on over the past decade' Insightful post by @historywill.bsky.social on urban history and crises of housing #UrbanHistory #Skystorians @uomsalc.bsky.social
- Reposted by The Urban History Group👇👇👇
- 'It is difficult not to draw parallels between contemporary housing crises and the urban history of housing that I have been working on over the past decade' Insightful post by @historywill.bsky.social on urban history and crises of housing #UrbanHistory #Skystorians @uomsalc.bsky.social
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupUrban historians don't just work in the past. At a fundamental level, they are inspired by contemporary developments, regardless of whether parallels between past and present are fitting or not. Excellent blog by @historywill.bsky.social 👇
- 'It is difficult not to draw parallels between contemporary housing crises and the urban history of housing that I have been working on over the past decade' Insightful post by @historywill.bsky.social on urban history and crises of housing #UrbanHistory #Skystorians @uomsalc.bsky.social
- 'It is difficult not to draw parallels between contemporary housing crises and the urban history of housing that I have been working on over the past decade' Insightful post by @historywill.bsky.social on urban history and crises of housing #UrbanHistory #Skystorians @uomsalc.bsky.social
- CFP: Urban History Group Conference 2025 The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern 4th & 5th Sept. 2025, University of Leicester. urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2024/11/15/c... We are back. Special sessions for New Researchers & PGs, as usual.
- 🚨 Less than one week to go to submit your abstracts for #UHG2025 🚨 The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern New Researchers' sessions on any #UrbanHistory topic 4-5 Sep 2025 Leicester Deadline: 24 Feb 2025
- ‘These movements had a particular momentum in places like Tuam of high rainfall and high mobility, and as notions of urban modernity moved in across Ireland they needed to—somehow—be regulated’ Wonderful post on rain and the Irish city by @erikahanna.bsky.social 👇
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupThis is always a lovely conference. perfect for PhD researchers - fundamental for my own entry into the field - and anyone else who wants generous feedback in a welcoming environment.
- There's still plenty of time to submit your abstracts for our conference on 'The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern' PGRs and ECRs can also submit papers on any topic for the New Researchers' sessions urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2024/11/15/c...
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupIn the lead-up to this year's Urban History Group Conference, Emily Chung reflects on the state of urban history and the implications of digital developments for the field. urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2025/02/05/n... @emvchung.bsky.social @urbanhistorygroup.bsky.social #skystorians
- There's still plenty of time to submit your abstracts for our conference on 'The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern' PGRs and ECRs can also submit papers on any topic for the New Researchers' sessions urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2024/11/15/c...
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupI'm thrilled to announce the official launch of NYU Urban Studies. It's an exciting program. Visit our website to learn more as.nyu.edu/departments/...
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupWhat does urban history look like in the digital age? In my latest post for the new @urbanhistorygroup.bsky.social ECR blog, I consider how we might use these new tools and techniques to our advantage...
- For the evening crowd, New Researchers Committee member @emvchung.bsky.social has written about how urban history can and should embrace digital humanities 👇
- 'Digital advancements create new ways of identifying, extracting, and analysing the many layers of cities and towns across history [and] offer new means of sharing our findings beyond our peers' Great blog by @emvchung.bsky.social on #UrbanHistory and #DigitalHumanities as part of our new series
- 'Digital advancements create new ways of identifying, extracting, and analysing the many layers of cities and towns across history [and] offer new means of sharing our findings beyond our peers' Great blog by @emvchung.bsky.social on #UrbanHistory and #DigitalHumanities as part of our new series
- If you can't wait for #EAUH2026 in Barcelona, there's still plenty of time to submit your abstracts for our conference in Leicester later this year as well. The weather's pretty much the same urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2024/11/15/c...
- Call for Sessions - EAUH 2026 Conference City Networks in Europe and Beyond 17th International Conference on Urban History Barcelona, 2-5 September 2026 Call closes on 15 April 2025 More information: www.uantwerpen.be/en/centres/e....
- Reposted by The Urban History Group#skyhistorians don’t forget to submit your @urbanhistorygroup.bsky.social abstract for 24th Feb! This year’s theme is ‘Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City’. It’s being held 4th&5th Sept 2025 at the Uni of Leicester. We are very excited to be back with urban chats medieval to modern!
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupCall for Sessions - EAUH 2026 Conference City Networks in Europe and Beyond 17th International Conference on Urban History Barcelona, 2-5 September 2026 Call closes on 15 April 2025 More information: www.uantwerpen.be/en/centres/e....
- Reposted by The Urban History GroupDon't forget to submit your abstracts for @urbanhistorygroup.bsky.social's 2025 conference! Deadline: 24 February The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern 🗓️ 4th & 5th Sept 2025 📍 University of Leicester 🔗 urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2024/11/15/c...
- In case you missed it - ahead of our conference in September (there's still time to submit your abstracts!) we'll be sharing a series of blog posts by PGRs and ECRs about their research and the importance and future direction of #UrbanHistory urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2025/01/27/t...
- In case you missed it - ahead of our conference in September (there's still time to submit your abstracts!) we'll be sharing a series of blog posts by PGRs and ECRs about their research and the importance and future direction of #UrbanHistory urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2025/01/27/t...
- Reposted by The Urban History Group📢 CFP del Urban History Group Abstract de 300 palabras con el título de la comunicación o póster, nombre, afiliación y datos de contacto antes del 24 de febrero. 📍Leicester, 4-5 de septiembre de 2025. ⬇️Más información ⬇️ urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2024/11/15/c...
- CFP: Urban History Group Conference 2025 Closing date 24th Feb. The Urban Commons: Rights and Citizenship in the City from the Medieval to the Modern 4th & 5th Sept. 2025, University of Leicester. urbanhistorygroup.wordpress.com/2024/11/15/c... Special sessions for New Researchers & PGs, as usual.
