The Spy Who Shared My Foyer
Luminaries from Agatha Christie to Walter Gropius gravitated to London’s “Lawn Road Flats.” So too did a far less conspicuous cohort: assets for the USSR.
Ghosts of Landed Gentry, But Never the Ghosts of Serfs
Psychical researcher Harry Price combined the power of academic language with a cultural identity crisis to build a reputation as a “scientific” ghost-hunter.
Kuda Bux: Fire-walking for Fame and Fortune
The Kashmiri American illusionist and mystic drew on his legendary powers of concentration to entertain and astound (in)credulous audiences.
September 1922: The Great Fire of Smyrna
A hundred years after the cosmopolitan city burnt to the ground, the truth about who started the fire and why remains a point of contention.
Kolkata and Partition: Between Remembering and Forgetting
In West Bengal’s capital city, suppressing the painful history of the 1947 Partition allows for the celebration of moments of endurance and success.
One Name, Two Writers: The Story of Michael Field
Katherine Bradley and Edith Cooper worked within the constraints of Victorian society, building a writing career and a relationship under an assumed name.
Mumbai, Where Indian Ocean Diasporas and Cosmopolitanisms Meet
The sacred and emotional geographies of two Indian Ocean diaspora communities intertwine with elements of New Age spirituality in the megacity of Mumbai.
Deaf Colonists in Victorian-Era Canada
In 1884, educator Jane Groom defied naysayers to found a community for working-class Deaf people on prairies of Manitoba.
The Prince of Wales’ 1921 Trip to India Was a Royal Disaster
Prince Edward's visit began the end of the monarchy’s influence in India.
How LGBTQ Groups Supported Striking Miners vs. Thatcher
During a national miners strike, LGBT activists became unexpected allies, united against the Thatcher government.