In this post, Wendy Davies describes a recent meeting of fellow historians to discuss their research on the everyday lives of ordinary working people in the early middle ages. The group has met and shared research over a number of years, with members in turn hosting weekend meetings. The historians who come together share an interest in the strategies by which early medieval people maintained food, shelter and health, communicated knowledge, and interacted with the world beyond the local. And, as Wendy describes here, the main purpose of this year’s gathering was to debate and plan a book, 'Making and Moving Consumables in Early Medieval Europe: From the Local to the Wider World'. The project is one of six networks of historians supported by the award of an RHS Workshop Grant in 2026. The latest call for this programme, which funds group meetings by historians, is now available and runs to 15 January 2027.

In this post, Gillian Jack introduces her new book — 'Prostitution, Repentance and Social Welfare in Renaissance Florence. The Monastery of Sant’Elisabetta delle Convertite' — which is published in October 2026 as part of the Society’s ‘New Historical Perspectives’ series with University of London Press. From the fourteenth century, prostitutes in Florence were encouraged to leave their profession and spend their lives in repentance at the monastery of Sant’Elisabetta delle Convertite. Gillian’s is the first book-length study to put Sant’Elisabetta into its full historical context. 'Prostitution, Repentance and Social Welfare in Renaissance Florence' is the 27th title in the Society’s New Historical Perspectives series for early career historians. Gillian's book, and all other titles in the series are published free, Open Access, and in paperback print.

In this post, Dr Miguel Hernández argues that it is imperative for historians to introduce our students to responsible use of Generative AI, particularly given the growing ubiquity of the technology in search tools. Miguel explains the steps taken by his Department in response to an institution-wide call for specific policies on AI use in assessments, and explains in useful detail the process of developing a set of principles for Generative AI use for history students. This post is part of a series commissioned by the Royal Historical Society on 'AI and History Teaching in UK Higher Education' in Autumn 2026. The series includes a range of perspectives on the uses and limitations of Generative AI and LLMs from history educators and research academics.