King's College London

Why should public institutions care what historians think? 

Organised by King’s College London’s History Department in collaboration with History & Policy and history departments throughout the University of London, Historians in Residence is a project to create stronger relationships between historians and the worlds of policy and public life. Institutions involved include the ippr, Fabian Society, demos, New Local Government Network, Bright Blue, Young Foundation, the Royal College of Surgeons, Theos and Chatham House.

The project will place historians with people and institutions taking a leading role in public life – from think-tanks to NGOs, museums to government departments – in residencies which will last from 3-12 months. 

Historians in Residence believe that a closer relationship between history professionals and policy and public institutions benefits our society at large. The project will help policymakers develop a more sophisticated and truthful understanding of the context they work in, providing a better understanding of how change happens. It will also assist historians better ask research questions which have public relevance.

Historians in Residence will be holding a launch seminar, on the relationship between history and public, particularly policy institutions on 3 December 2016. The seminar will bring historians, members of the policy community and leaders of public institutions together to discuss the relationship between history, policy and public life - and kickstart the first series of historians' residencies with public institutions.

For more information about the launch seminar, and to register attendance see the Event page.

Dr Jon Wilson is a Senior Lecturer in British Imperial & South Asian History Department of History, King’s College London and the Director of the Historians in Residence project. He was Deputy Head (External Relations) of the School of Arts and Humanities from 2008-11, where he initiated the King’s Arts and Humanities festival. He has also worked as a parliamentary researcher and been a local councillor.