Thought Leadership

Medieval great halls were at the heart of the festive season – here the community kept warm by staying together

Giles Gasper, from our History Department, is Professor in High Medieval History. Professor Gasper outlines the importance of food, a shared warm space, and what we have in common with those living in medieval times.

Christmas in wartime: how Britain coped with the ‘bleak midwinter’ of 1942

Durham University's Principal of South College, Tim Luckhurst, explains how Britain celebrated Christmas in 1942.

Reading our Future in the Bones of Children Past

An interview with Christian Harkensee and Rebecca Gowland discussing what the past can reveal about the social forces that shape modern health crises.

headshots of Christian Harkensee and Rebecca Gowland holding skull

The Controversy over Christmas Carols

Nothing conjures up nostalgic ideas of a wholesome family Christmas more than the idea of loved ones gathering around the piano to sing carols, or indeed voices raised in church in song on Christmas Day. However, Professor Jeremy Dibble, tells us why carols and carol singing haven’t always been seen in such a virtuous light.

The Undercover Elf

Lucinda Murphy, a PhD student in the Department of Theology and Religion, tells us about her research in which she has explored Christmas magic in all its varieties.

Putting Santa (and anything else) on a Timeline

Dr Emily Thomas, Department of Philosophy, writes on space and time in seventeenth to early twentieth century philosophy. She shows us how you can turn any history into a timeline - this one was inspired by a history of Santa Claus.

Remembering Christmas Past

Simon J. James is Professor of Victorian Literature in the Department of English Studies. This festive season he discusses memory in Dickens’ work, and the importance of remembering past versions of ourselves at Christmas.

Forensic Archaeology and Human Rights: Where the past meets the present

Professor Rebecca Gowland from our Department of Archaeology shares her research insights and reflects on how the deceased are incorporated into discussions of human rights.

What’s really going on when a child is ‘overtired’ – and how to help them go to sleep

Professor Helen Ball from our Department of Anthropology is also the Director of the Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre (DISC). She discusses what 'overtiredness' means for babies, and how help them handle this emotional state.

COP15: three visions for protecting nature on the table at the UN biodiversity conference

Professor Harriet Bulkeley, from our Department of Geography, describes how COP15 will set new targets for protecting biodiversity.

Shipping must accelerate its decarbonisation efforts – and now it has the opportunity to do so

Dr Christiaan De Beukelaer, a visiting fellow at our Institute of Advanced Study, describes how shipping must reach zero carbon emissions.

Why you could have ‘face-ism’ – an extreme tendency to judge people based on their facial features

What is 'face-ism,' and what is the real-world impact it can have? Dr Paddy Ross from our Department of Psychology tells us that, and more, below.