Koch History Centre

Charity, Humanitarianism, and Childhood Monday 22nd June 2026 One day colloquium: Centre for the History of Childhood, University of Oxford Magdalen College Oxford, UK, and online Call for Papers We welcome papers that consider the theme of ‘Charity, Humanitarianism, and Childhood’ from a wide variety of perspectives. Areas that papers might explore include: • Children’s experiences as recipients of charity and humanitarianism, including in the context of conflict and displacement • Children’s experiences as charitable and humanitarian actors and providers • Representations of childhood within charitable and humanitarian discourses • Institutions and communities that mobilise around charitable and humanitarian relief for children • Memories, intergenerational transmission, and legacies of charity and humanitarianism • Failures, limitations, and tensions resulting from charitable and humanitarian actions • Archives for, approaches to, and public engagement with the study of charity, humanitarianism, and childhood in the past • Conceptual connections between care, vulnerability, and age We welcome papers from any disciplinary or professional background and career stage, including advanced undergraduate and graduate students. We encourage papers that engage with the diversity of children’s and young people’s experiences in any historical period and place. Please send abstracts of c. 250 words for a fifteen-minute paper and a brief bio to sian.pooley@magd.ox.ac.uk by midday on Friday 13th March 2026. We plan to offer in- person and online participation, so please indicate your preference when submitting. Organising Committee: Charlotte Canizo, Joseph Leidy, Siân Pooley, Susannah Wright

Excellent talk yesterday at our seminar by Ian Archer 16thC children's work - some of it under the aegis of charity - beginning a conversation tbc in our colloquium this year - Monday 22nd June, 'Charity, Humanitarianism, and Childhood' get your abstracts in! deadline 13th March 2026

We are advertising a two-year lectureship in Modern British History at University of Cambridge, please spread the word!
www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/assista...

Looking forward to David d'Avray's public lecture next week. All welcome!

17:00, Wed 4th Mar
Room 00.063 Schwarzman Centre

The lecture will be followed by a drinks reception.

Details and registration: www.history.ox.ac.uk/event/church...

Jesse Jackson, half-length portrait of Jackson seated at a table, July 1, 1983

"A great preacher and orator"

Koch Senior Fellow, Anthea Butler, remembers the Rev Jesse Jackson in conversation with Andrew West, on ABC (Australia) Radio National

@antheabutler.bsky.social

www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Image: Leffler, Warren K., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

Is there more to the parallels between Islamic philosophy and psychoanalysis than mere commonality?

Koch History Centre Fellow, Henry Clements, has reviewed Joan Copjec's new book for the LA Review of Books.

“Becoming independent” in the case of monarchical Libya did not mean overcoming the colonial legacy; rather, it constituted an attempt to reformulate the past and build a legitimate memory by drawing on a religious symbology, although not a shared one.

Koch Fellow Carlotta Marchi, in Itinerario.

📢 APPLY NOW!: DPIR seeks to appoint two full-time fixed-term Departmental Lecturers in International Relations - one with expertise in international political economy and one in historical and interpretive approaches and methods.

🗓️ CLOSES: Noon, 18 March 2026: www.politics.ox.ac.u...

Delighted to see the first review of our fellow Dr Teresa Witcombe's new book, "On the edges of Christendom" in the TLS.

Fernando Cervantes calls it a "marvellous study... a window on a fascinating and strangely neglected topic".

www.the-tls.com/history/medi...

Bethany Moreton (Dartmouth) continues the conversation on the theme of Religion and the State, with her public lecture “Theocracy Now!”

Wed, 4 Feb 17:00

To register: www.history.ox.ac.uk/koch-history...

Image: Mindaugus Bonanu & Dominykas Čečkauskas. "Make Everything Great Again", Vilnius, 2016

Less than a week to apply!

We are looking for historians from any field working on a project related to the theme of 'Scarcity and Abundance'.

Applications close at noon on 17th Dec.

For details, see:
www.history.ox.ac.uk/vacancies#ta...

Image: Shri Shri Lakshmi, India, c.1880. The Met.

Fancy joining us in Oxford?

The Koch History Centre is inviting applications for next year's fellowships and senior fellowships, on the theme 'Scarcity and Abundance'.

Applications close at noon on 17th Dec.

For details, see:
www.history.ox.ac.uk/vacancies#ta...

Image: Valentin_21, Pexels

All welcome at this free public lecture hosted by the Koch History Centre, followed by a drinks reception.

Wed, 26 Nov 17:00
Room 00.063
Stephen A Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities

Please register via our website. www.history.ox.ac.uk/koch-history...

See our website for full details and bios of our new fellows. www.history.ox.ac.uk/article/koch...