Category: Popular culture
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Underground lives: ‘Peaky Blinders’ and depicting histories of post-World War I Britain
With the finale of Peaky Blinders being aired recently, I thought I’d post this article draft on the history depicted in the television series. I had written this at the end of series three, but it was never published, so I am posting here. With the General Strike of 1926, the British Union of Fascists…
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Watch-along The Young Ones starts this Saturday
Looking for some anarchic fun during the lockdown period? I am starting a weekly watch-along on Twitter of the classic alternative comedy The Young Ones, starting with the debut episode ‘Demolition’ this Saturday night (25/04). I will be tweeting about the show from 9pm Adelaide time (this 9.30pm for the Eastern states and 12.30pm in the UK).…
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London and the south-east regional divide in television sitcoms in Blair’s Britain
This is an extended conference paper by Lauren Pikó and myself, originally presented at the Eric Richards British and Australian History conference earlier this year. It is part of an on-going research project that we are working on looking at representations of political and socio-economic change in modern Britain through television comedies. Our previous work…
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“YOU DON’T WANNA MISS THIS WEEK’S FEATURE CREATURE”: BUFFY’S TOP TEN STAND ALONE EPISODES
It is 20 years since the debut of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As a show that has generated much academic and fan-generated writing, I thought I would post this piece that I wrote for All Slay zine back in 2003. So Scooby Gang fans, enjoy! There has been much analysis and debate…
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Policing Acid House Parties in 1989: What the new Thatcher Government papers reveal
The latest round of papers from the Prime Minister’s Office have been released, relating to the final years of Margaret Thatcher’s government in 1989-90. While files on several topics have been opened, this post will look at the file dedicated the policing of ‘acid house parties’ (also known as raves) in 1989. As I’ve mentioned…
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Policing club culture in the UK and the neoliberal city
This week, famous London club Fabric was permanently closed down after its liquor license was taken revoked, allegedly after police raised concerns for the safety of clubgoers following the deaths of two people this year inside the club. Others have suggested that the Islington Council sought the closure of the club because it was too…
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For those on academia.edu, join my feedback session on transnational communism & anti-racism in WWII
I just thought I’d post this there for anyone on academia.edu and has an interest in transnational communist history. I am currently running a feedback session on the site for my paper ‘”Our Soldiers Need Guns!” Communists and the Enlistment of Black Soldiers in the Second World War in South Africa, Australia and the United…
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Crime, Masculinity and the Post-War Era in Peaky Blinders and Boardwalk Empire
WARNING: CONTAINS POTENTIAL SPOILERS I have recently finished watching the entire five series of the HBO drama Boardwalk Empire, set in the 1920s in Atlantic City, New Jersey during the era of prohibition, spanning the decade until 1932. Earlier this year, I also watched both series of the UK drama Peaky Blinders, which was…
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10 memes for your next referee report
Inspired by this tweet: @Hatfulofhistory It’ll happen. And listicles: ’10 hilarious gifs that explain why you need to revise and resubmit’ — Ben Wilkie (@historyben) July 10, 2015 I thought I’d create some ‘hilarious’ memes for easy insertion into your next referee report… 1. Often found in history referee reports… 2. When an…
New Historical Express 