In February 2023, the Royal Historical Society launched its 'Mid-Career Conversations for Historians' series. This initial series includes five themed events, hosted by Professor Julian Wright, the Society's Secretary for Professional Engagement.The series provides a small and confidential forum for historians to discuss topics of particular relevance to them at the mid-career stage. It allows historians to share their problems, interests, priorities and solutions, and to consider new avenues for developing their career and professional networks. In this post Julian reflects on these initial discussions and what he's learned from colleagues during these events.

In this post, Matthew Smith considers the challenges of applying for research funding to pursue historical research. The current environment of winner-takes-all large grants is hugely time-consuming and uncertain. In its place, Matthew proposes a Universal Basic Research Income (UBRI). He explores the positives outcomes such a move could bring -- for individual historians and the wider research culture. Matthew is Professor of the History of Health and Medicine at the University of Strathclyde and Director of the Centre for the Social History of Health and Healthcare (CSHHH). 

To coincide with publication of his new book, 'Anti-Communism in Britain during the Early Cold War: A Very British Witch Hunt', Dr Matthew Gerth considers the anti-communist credentials of the post-war British prime minister, Clement Attlee. Matthew’s book, published on 13 April, is the 16th title in the Royal Historical Society’s New Historical Perspectives series for early career historians, published in association with the Institute of Historical Research and University of London Press. As with all books in the series, A Very British Witch Hunt is available in print and as a free Open Access download.