Social history

James Fox speaks about the myriad meanings of colour through human history. (Image by Getty Images)

Colour: a human history

George Makari examines the history of xenophobia, and the surprising ways in which the term has evolved since the 19th century. (Image by Getty Images)

Stranger danger? Xenophobia’s unexpected history

British author Sathnam Sanghera

Sathnam Sanghera Britain's Imperial Legacy: “It was painful to realise how my education had colonised me”

Christine Kinealy answers listener questions on the devastating famine that struck Ireland in the mid-19th century. (Image by Getty Images)

The Irish famine: everything you wanted to know

Islam Issa reveals how terrorists have twisted Shakespeare’s life and work to suit their own ends over the centuries. (Image by Getty Images)

How Shakespeare inspired terrorists

Roderick Beaton explores 4,000 years of Greek history, on the HistoryExtra podcast. (Image by Getty Images)

How the Greeks changed the world

William Hogarth, seen in a self-portrait with his pug

William Hogarth: the satirical artist inspired by the teachings of the Bible

Shoppers in Liverpool during the 1960s

Q&A Why is the shopping day after Thanksgiving called ‘Black Friday’?

Woman waving a union jack flag emblazoned with a swastika

In pictures: Interwar fascism

Professor Marc David Baer discusses the Ottoman empire and its overlooked place in the “Age of Discovery”. (Image by Getty Images)

The Ottoman “Age of Discovery”

A 12th century tapestry showing, on the left, one eyed Odin carrying an axe, with a representation of the tree from which he hung; in the centre, Thor, carrying his symbolic hammer in his right hand; and on the right the fertility god Frey holding an ear of corn

10 incredible Viking stories from Norse mythology

Depiction of a musician and dancing fool in Paris, 14th century

What was life like for a court jester?

Progressive potter: Josiah Wedgwood (1730–95). As well as pioneering new types of pottery, he also imbued his work with political radicalism. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)

Josiah Wedgwood: the radical father of English pottery

Photograph of Mrs Beeton bracing herself against a chair while wearing a long, dark-coloured gown

The secret life of Mrs Beeton: 10 pieces of life advice from her famous Book of Household Management

Black and white drawing showing King George V using a broom to sweep away several crowns adorned with the words 'Made in Germany'.

Fake history: 3 historical untruths that shaped the world