Vivien Chan

Listen to the poets.

Working Collectively Then and Now How did History Workshop Journal's editorial collective sustain its commitment to radical history over fifty tumultuous years? Sally Alexander and Jeffrey Weeks discuss.

How has the History Workshop Journal collective sustained its commitment to radical history over fifty tumultuous years?

Two HWJ veterans, Sally Alexander and Jeffrey Weeks, sat down to share their memories with @beckierutherford.bsky.social and @inoutofpractice.bsky.social🎙✊🏻

Modular Market, Everyday Experience, and the Movement of Diversified Historiographies—An Interview with Vivien Chan Editor’s Note: The recent “walking craze” has brought Hong Kong’s public housing estates into the local—and even international—spotlight in a new way, sparking a wave of aesthetic, nostalgic, and hist...

I recently had the great pleasure to be interviewed by Typesetter, an independent publisher doing incredible work: typesetter.hk/en/2025/12/1...

Somehow still hanging on!

All jokes aside, I'm so grateful to my HW and NTU colleagues, and of course my former students, for sharing their insights and getting stuck in. Excited to celebrate HWJ100 with everyone on Saturday!

Radical Synergies Three of our past and present editors reflect on the ways in which History Workshop Journal has influenced and inspired their practice during their time on the History Workshop collective.

How has the legacy of History Workshop Journal inspired our own editorial collective?

@beckierutherford.bsky.social, @inoutofpractice.bsky.social, and @marralsham.bsky.social consider their historical practice and relationship to radical history.

What's next? I'll be arriving in Leiden next Wednesday to start @iias.bsky.social Asia in the World fellowship.

I've also opened a design history research studio called Out of Practice, in the People's Hall, Nottingham, which I learned was a hub for radical organising in the past. Feels fitting!

Thankyou to every writer I've had the pleasure of working with, and I'm so grateful to anyone who has read and shared, commented @historyworkshop.org.uk. It feels so empowering to share amazing research and thoughtful reflection, and for it to offer hope and solidarity right now.

And that's a wrap! My @historyworkshop.org.uk comes to an end. Two years ends with a grand total of 36 articles, 15 for From Place to Place, and 8 illustration commissions with my students.

A huge thank you to the team, I've learned so much about what I want my practice to look like! 💫

Imagining Trans Futures Sam Rutherford reflects on how trans histories and historians can work towards building power in the trans community.

The summer has seen anti-trans campaigns across the UK & US, alongside a crisis in healthcare. But what use could trans history have in these times beyond proof 'we have always been here'?

Sam Rutherford @echomikeromeo reflects on Imagining Trans Futures:
www.historyworkshop.org.uk/queer-histor...

It's a huge honour for this piece by Lola and Agnes to be the final addition to the From Place to Place series. As my HW Fellowship draws to a close, I can't think of a more helpful reminder to keep finding new intimacies and continue feeling through my practice. I hope you've enjoyed the series!

yes, we concluded we'd need to revisit in 6 months time 👀 see how it feels when it's no longer a zeitgeist thing and whether it does end up being somewhere that can 'work' in the way it claims....

It was honestly so baffling to visit! It was hard not to feel like it was an entirely theatrical performance and my friend and I were discussing how it replicates a kind of algorithmic relationship to images but with objects. At the same time I understand the barriers - but this is not the solution!

Grateful to Az for coming to us to write this piece. As a V&A/RCA alum and design student myself, reflecting on the process of learning what is 'good' design/history through working with Az helped clarify some of the complex emotions I had visiting the Storehouse!

🚨HW FELLOWSHIP KLAXON🚨

We're now in the final week for applications, deadline is on Friday!

DMs are open for any questions about the position!

It's a pleasure to include Sabine's research @sabinehanke.bsky.social in the series! The history of the circus, while problematic in contemporary times, is clearly a site where you can find important intersecting identities and frictions.

Sometimes the historical dictionary offers solace through the existence of an obsolete word that is sorely needed now. One of them is ‘respair’, recorded just once, in the 15th century. It means fresh hope, and a recovery from despair.

Myself and Mary's fellowships are ending in October, and we're now looking for two new fellows!

I have had the best time, it's been a brilliant way to transition out of the PhD alongside teaching. It's been a joy to learn from the team and contribute something of my own too!

Any questions? DM me!

I'm so pleased to include Kar Yern in the series, both because we share lots of research interests, and because his research is so dynamic and rich! Keep an eye out for his upcoming book on Malay(si)a Foodways 👀👀👀

Another in From Place to Place today, and so excited to include sensory histories in this piece by Meg Parsons and Karen Fisher. Thinking about how processes of itinerance have the capacity to be violent, in colonial notions of exploration and transformation.

I'm so excited to share that from October I will be a fellow at IIAS @iias.bsky.social in Leiden. I'll be working on a project on wetness in spatial histories of Hong Kong and SEA, continuing on from my research on wet markets. Looking forward to exploring NL!

www.iias.asia/profile/vivi...

Another super exciting one to add to the From Place to Place roster! What if we thought of itinerance through objects? how are histories materialised? So wonderful to work with Hege on this piece!

A huge honour to have Becky Taylor in From Place to Place, and amazing to see such beautiful and rare archival material alongside her research.

So happy to be able to commission more design historians to write for HW! As a grassroots archive enthusiast, I was so excited to find out about Elli's collection of garments.

Huge congrats to @maryknewman.bsky.social on her new series on Indigenous histories!

I had the pleasure of being one of the people Juli would share her insights with while walking around Hong Kong. It sparked lots of conversations about what we can vs. what we choose to call history. Super honoured to share Juli's work in From Place to Place!

Such an imaginative and exciting piece from @davehitchcock.bsky.social and a significant question about the relationship between itinerance and the making of public spaces - who gets to make it theirs?

Begging Places How does a public space become a 'begging place'? David Hitchcock on the life of Jamaican street sweeper in Regency London, Charles McGee.

How does a public space become a 'begging place'?

In our latest article, Dave Hitchcock @davehitchcock.bsky.social on the life of Jamaican street sweeper in Regency London, Charles McGee.
www.historyworkshop.org.uk/urban/beggin...

We stand in solidarity with trans women and the trans community and we will always be a space that recognises the importance of trans history.

Read on for a selection from our archive 🧵 1/8

There isn't a story on the BBC News site about today's trans rights rally at Parliament Square where it's estimated 20k attended. But they did have a story last week about the Let Women Speak transphobe rally in Bristol where 100 people attended.

Hi Andrew, thanks so much for these recommendations! I'll be sure to check them out.