History & Policy Shorts

History & Policy Shorts is a series of concise, open access books designed to foster dialogue between professional historians and policymakers, providing concrete examples of how history and historical reasoning can assist in finding answers to major contemporary problems.

Published in association with History & Policy (H&P) at the Institute of Historical Research, the series builds on H&P’s decades of excellence in open access publishing, contributing timely and succinct historical insights into the policy issues of the present. In an era of government characterised by limited institutional memory and insufficient opportunities to consider problems in their historical contexts, there is an urgent need for more communication between academics and policymakers. The series’ books are therefore essential reading both for historians looking to understand the nature of policymaking and engaging policymakers with their research, and for policymakers who want to explore how historical research can enrich their work.

The series features accessible, short-form publications (20,000–50,000 words) across three main strands:

1. Books on a wide variety of historical topics, tailored to demonstrate their relevance to current political and policy concerns.

2. Books exploring the workings, past and present, of specific UK government departments.

3. Books examining how and to what extent history can usefully feed into the policymaking process.

Series editors

Philip Murphy, Professor of British and Commonwealth History and Director of History and Policy, Institute of Historical Research, University of London, UK; Simon Szreter, Professor of History and Public Policy and Fellow of St John’s College, University of Cambridge, UK; Laura King, Professor of Collaborative History, University of Leeds, UK.