News

  • Audley’s Cross commemorating the 1459 Battle of Blore Heath

    The Wars of the Roses: New online resource reveals memories

    The Battlefields Trust has officially launched its Wars of the Roses Memorial Database. Open University historian Dr David Grummitt worked with partners to establish the crowd-sourced history and heritage resource.

  • A curated trio of abstract framed paintings, each spotlighted to enhance its unique palette—cool blue and green swirls, vibrant red and purple tones, and warm yellow and brown hues

    An enticing subversion: ‘decolonising’ art in Malaysia

    Led by Leon Wainwright (Professor of Art History, OU) “Reframe and Resist: Decolonise Here and Now!” is a British Council–supported project featuring an exhibition and events in Malaysia, bringing together artists, activists and scholars to confront colonial legacies and environmental crises through decolonial dialogue.

  • A portrait of a person in historical attire with the name 'Jane Austen' in large yellow script and the subtitle 'RISE OF A GENIUS' in smaller yellow capital letters, set against a dimly lit indoor background.

    FASS academics advise on OU/BBC series Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius

    The BBC/OU docudrama, Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius, made for the 250th birthday anniversary celebrations of the world-famous author, has pulled in 4.7 m viewers. Nicola J Watson and Emma Sweeney (ECW) served as nominated academics.

  • Prof James Robson and Dr Emma Bridges with Classics for All’s Chief Executive, Jo Hobbs MBE and Chairman Jimmy Mulville

    Department of Classical Studies wins prestigious outreach award

    Classical Studies is a winner!  It’s just taken home the Universtity Outreach Award in Classics for All’s annual impact awards. 

  • The battlefield of Edgcote in Northamptonshire, fought on 24 July 1469 between forces loyal to the Yorkist king Edward IV and northern rebels allied to the earl of Warwick.

    Historic England Blog on the Register of Historic Battlefields

    A Historic England Blog post by OU historian David Grummitt celebrates the 30th anniversary of Historic England’s Register of Historic Battlefields

  • The Routledge Companion to Marxisms in Art History

    Three members of the OU’s Department of Art History-Warren Carter, Kim Charnley and Andrew Murray- have authored chapters in a landmark new book, The Routledge Companion to Marxisms in Art History.

  • Magic Art - A New Enquiry

    Dr Robert J. Wallis, Senior Lecturer in Art History, contributes to the first English translation of André Breton’s L’Art magique.

  • Image of a paperback hand held book being read

    Can Books Heal? A Canadian Broadcasting Corporation podcast, with OU English academics

    OU English researchers Sara Haslam and Edmund King were heavily featured contributors in this podcast on 3000 years of the history of the healing book. Part of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s programme of contemporary thought, CBC Ideas, ‘Do books have the power to heal us?’ took listeners back to Pharaoh Rameses II in its contextualised history of bibliotherapy - the inscription ‘healing place of the soul’ was placed above the portal of Rameses’ library. Edmund King brought the story up to date before conversation moved to a focused account of what Sara Haslam has termed ‘literary caregiving’ during the First World War. 

  • OpenARC logo, dome with sunlight coming through the roof, with text OpenARC on the top left corner

    OpenARC holds the first Festival of the Arts and Humanities

    OpenARC held its first ever Festival, celebrating the research, broadcast work, public engagement and impact in the School of the Arts and Humanities.

  • New book: Korngold in America: Music, Myth, and Hollywood

    A new book on opera and film composer Erich Korngold (1897-1957), written by Music lecturer Ben Winters, has been published by Oxford University Press in their Music/Media series.

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