History Carnival

Welcome!

This is the homepage of the History Carnival, a monthly showcase of weblog posts about history (and historiography and history teaching). The goal of blog carnivals like this is to provide a regular showcase of the best blogs - well-known and not so well-known - in their fields. Basically, a carnival consists of a listing, usually with editorial comments by a host, of a range of recently-published blog posts; most carnivals rotate around a number of hosts, bringing diversity of presentation and different perspectives within the subject theme. Frequencies vary depending on the topic; the History Carnival is currently published on the 1st day of each month.

Criteria for submissions to the History Carnival

History is an enormous subject, and we aim for a wide range of blogs and topics to be represented. We welcome suitable nominations from anyone with something interesting to say about history: academic historians in university posts and academics in related disciplines, students, enthusiastic non-academics. Entries don't have to be heavyweight scholarship. But they must uphold basic standards of factual accuracy and integrity in the use of sources.

They may be focused on a historical topic, on the author's particular research interests; they may discuss the challenges and rewards of teaching history; book or website reviews; discussions of 'popular' history (films, dramas and documentaries, novels, etc); postings of interesting primary sources, especially if they're not easily accessible elsewhere online.

NB: All submissions are vetted by the host, whose decision is final. Two important points:

  • Entries should go beyond posts that consist only of web links or of quotes from other sources with little or no discussion (with the exception of primary sources as noted above);
  • We do welcome controversial views (because good history often is controversial), but please don't submit posts that are simply polemics on current issues. Writing that engages with the past to discuss present issues will be considered, but should involve significant historical content and analysis.

How to submit nominations

You usually have two options:

1. Send an email to the host (address normally included in all carnival announcements). Include the title and permalink URL of the post you are nominating, and the name of the blog. It's helpful if you put 'History Carnival' clearly in the title of your email to help the recipient spot it easily in their inbox!

2. Use the submission form here at this site.

  • You can submit multiple suggestions, both your own writing and that of other bloggers, but please try not to submit more than one post by any individual author for each Carnival, with the exception of multi-part posts on the same topic. (Yes, you will have to select a favourite!)
  • The posts should have been published recently, preferably since the date of the last Carnival edition.

Hosting a Carnival

The History Carnival is on the look out for hosts! If you're an established blogger who knows your way around the history blogs, maybe you could host a Carnival. If you've enjoyed reading the Carnivals, why not take a turn at hosting and help to keep them running?

Hosts do not have to be university-based historians, but they do have to be enthusiastic about history and have some knowledge of the field, preferably through personal experience of doing historical (or related) research and writing. Pseudonymous hosts are welcome. It helps if hosts blog about history (and related topics) fairly regularly, but the focus of the blog itself does not have to be primarily historical. (However, strongly political or highly personal blogs may not be suitable.)

Hosting does require a little work, primarily sifting through nominations and a few hours' solid work compiling the carnival. (Imaginative themes are always welcomed but not compulsory.)

Please note that the Carnival co-ordinator (email address below) has absolute discretion in approving, assigning and scheduling Carnival hosts.

Contacting the Co-ordinator

You can email the Carnival co-ordinator, Sharon Howard, at: sharon@earlymodernweb.org.uk

 

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