Close
Meet Taster Presenter Charo and hear all about her chosen topic focusing on public history
UCL Expand: The Stories We Tell—and Those We Don’t: What Is Public History?
History is all around us, shaping how we understand the present and ourselves. Public History brings the past to life by connecting it to contemporary communities, raising crucial questions about representation, accessibility, and how history is told. Develop your critical thinking and creativity as you explore whose voices are included in historical narratives and how those stories influence modern identities.
For students interested in: History; Cultural Studies; Media; Sociology; Anthropology; Museum Studies; English; Arts & Humanities
Meet your Presenter: Charo!
Where did you grow up?
Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Where did you do your undergraduate degree? What did you study?
I studied History and Spanish at the University of Cambridge.
What are you currently studying and what is your specific area of research?
I am in the second year of my MA in Public History here at UCL, and I’m absolutely loving it! I focus mainly on taboo topics and community spaces.
What are your favourite things about being a university student?
The community and the wealth of opportunities available to you! I’ve gotten to do some amazing work, such as the project ‘Back Behind the Bar: Pub Landladies of East London’ which I’m leading in collaboration with the East End Women’s Museum.
Do you know what you want to do when you finish your degree?
I hope to continue my studies and do a PhD! I would also love to work with more community organisations and museums on public history projects.
What are you most excited about for UCL Expand?
To meet all of you! Public history is all about creativity and collaboration, and I’m excited to see what we come up with together.
Tell us a random fact about you.
I volunteer at Queer Britain, the UK’s first LGBTQ+ museum located in London.
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
Breathing under water. I love scuba diving and I think it would be amazing to explore the underwater world at my own leisure.
If you won the lottery, what would you buy/do first with it?
Take my grandma on the trip of a lifetime! She’s always wanted to go to Nepal.
Supplementary Resource List
Below you can find resources that will give you an introduction to 'The Stories We Tell - And Those We Don't'. These resources are optional and for you to browse at your leisure.
- What is Public History?
Read this short article for an introduction to the field and definitions of Public History.
Think about:
- There are lots of different ways to define public history. What do you think public history means to you?
- Public history can be done in lots of places and with lots of mediums, from museums to video games, performances and TV shows. What medium interests you the most?
- The East End Women's Museum
The East End Women's Museum highlights women's history in England and the East End of London in particular. At the moment they are a virtual museum that also does events and pop-ups.
Have a browse of this website. Read the 'about' section, and read one or two articles that spark your interest.
Think about:
- What is a museum? Who gets to make and contribute to a museum?
- Why is it important to tell local histories and histories of underrepresented or marginalised groups?
- Greg Jenner, 'You're Dead To Me', BBC Radio 4
Listen to a podcast episode of Greg Jenner's 'You're Dead To Me'. This is a podcast that invite a historian and a comedian to talk about a particular topic or time in history. Pick an episode that interests you.
Think about:
- This is a podcast. Who do you think would listen to this podcast?
- Why did you choose this particular episode? Did you learn something new?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of communicating history in this way (with a historian and a comedian)?
- Did you enjoy it?
- Astonishing Activists
This is a game about activists in history, produced by the BBC, for children. Play one of these games.
Think about:
- How does the game format affect how we learn about history?
- These games are aimed at children Do you think it's done effectively? How does our audience change how we communicate history?
- 'After the Windrush', Alexander D Great
Watch this song by calypso protest singer Alexander D Great. This is an example of public history as a performance and also shows how we can utilise public history to raise awareness of socio-political issues.
Think about:
- Do you think performance can reach people in a different way than academic articles do?
- How do you feel about the relationship between history and activism?