History and Heritage

Here is a passionate article by Professor Richard Overy who is concerned that his subject is splitting into populist "Heritage" history and what would be regarded as inaccessbile "academic" history. It provides some interesting food for thought about the nature and direction of the subject - worth a read (as is this response) if you are preparing a UCAS personal statement!

PS: If you find any other useful / thgouht-provoking articles for UCAS preparation, please let us know.

PPS: The image is from the Tobu World Square Park in Japan - where 42 of the world's historical landmarks have been reproduced in miniature...

Japanese PM in trouble

The Japanese Prime Minister, Taro Aso, has been forced to call a general election for next month and it is likely that his party will lose. As the Liberal Democratic Party have dominated Japanese politics since World War 2, this is big news. This article from the Independent is a good examination of how Mr Aso has got into so much trouble, mainly due to the economic crisis and his tendency to make serious gaffes. (He compared his political opponents to the Nazi Party and said that the elderly "Did nothing except eat and sit around drinking" - this is the country with the largest percentage of pensioners in the world!)