The Crusades and the online far right
In this blog, William Hatfield discusses how medieval themes are found in contemporary online extremist cultures.
4 December 2025
Centre For Historical Studies (CHS) Blog
Welcome to Centre For Historical Studies (CHS) Blog
Our aims are to develop an environment conducive to high quality and impactful research and to promote the value of history as a vital subject of enquiry best suited to answering the key questions and challenges of our times.
Latest Research Updates
The Extreme Right and its use of the medieval past to inform its profile
In this blog, Siobhán Hyland discusses her recent research into the ways in which British extreme right groups have used the medieval world from 1962-1982.
26 November 2025
Call For Papers: Nostalgia and Radical Politics, Past and Present
Participants for a two-day workshop in June 2026 at the University of Northampton are invited to present working papers related to political nostalgias, past and present.
17 November 2025
Getting Medieval? The Extreme Right and the Distant Past
Rachel Moss introduces her new project, a systematic analysis of archival materials related to the inner workings of the British extreme right in a significant period of change for this…
17 September 2025
MATER: Medievalists Against The Extreme Right
The Extreme Right Research Network are establishing a new group to interrogate what role medievalism plays in radicalising people into extreme right spaces, and what role educators and experts in…
31 July 2025
Trial by history: Nazi war criminals and the law
In this blog, Siobhán Hyland explores the history of the 1991 War Crimes Act, and reflects on some of the issues with making prosecutions under this legislation. This was the…
25 July 2025
Far right and the environment: Key themes of ‘ecofascism’
This blog by Luke Adams explores the concept of ‘ecofascism’, or the combination of ecological themes with extreme right politics. It reflects on some of the problems with this term,…
25 July 2025
What do we mean when we say ‘Conspiracy Theory’?
This blog by Billy Mann explores some key critical themes in the study of conspiracy theories. It reflects on how cultures of conspiracy encompass a wide range of themes and…
25 July 2025
Addressing the Extreme Right Threat: A Year after the Riots 6 June 2025
The Extreme Right Research Network at the University of Northampton is hosting a free day-long (9.30am-4.30pm) workshop, bringing together practitioners, professionals and academics to debate and discuss the extreme right…
5 June 2025
Extreme Right Aware CPD in Dudley
Working with Mark Wilson, a Community Safety Officer in Dudley, in the spring of 2025 the Extreme Right Research Network is co-creating a series of training activities around the extreme…
5 June 2025