History Taster Lectures
Ten days in Harlem: Fidel Castro and the Making of the 1960s
In this lecture Simon Hall, Professor of Modern History at the University of Leeds, shows how Fidel Castro’s trip to New York, in September 1960, for the UN General Assembly was a foundational moment in the trajectory of the Cold War, a turning point in the history of anti-colonial struggle, and a launching pad for the social, cultural and political tumult of the decade that followed.
The First World War: A Global Conflict
It was in this febrile atmosphere that the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Archduke precipitated a diplomatic chain reaction that led to the outbreak of war.
How did the First World War become an inevitable global conflict? Dr Jessica Meyer, Associate Professor of Modern British History, gives us an insight into the factors that led to a world war and the lasting impact of such a global cataclysm.
Colonialism in Africa: Counter-Insurgency and Cover-ups
Professor Shane Doyle investigates why the history of empire matters, how the UK sought to shape colonies’ post-colonial futures, how British governments sought to control historical understanding, and how historians make history from a censored archive.
Content warning: This lecture contains discussions of violence and some images relating to the Mau Mau Uprising. The lecture also discusses some primary sources which reproduced racist stereotypes.
Library virtual tour
Take a 360 tour of our world-leading academic research libraries.
When joining the School of History, you'll be able to work with materials ranging from Shakespeare's First Folio and the archive materials in the Special Collections.