Want a side of history with your pint?

Saturday 13 October 2018

Ditch the crisps... how about a side of history with your pint?

The Pierson Pub's celebrated 'History in the Pub' meetings are back, with November 1918 on the agenda.

The idea first arose from Dr Sean Dettman and local history teacher Bram Wanroijj's 'World in Context' project, which aimed to intermingle conversations about current 'big issues' with the past.

A year-and-a-half ago, those sessions then morphed into 'History in the Pub', bringing together a mixture of students, professionals and islanders simply keen to learn.

They discussed topics such as the making of Modern Europe, the history of the Middle East in the 20th Century, the rise of fascism in Nazi Germany and, most recently, slavery in the United States.

Pictured: The 'History in the Pub' sessions started over a year and a half ago.

"It is a very relaxed atmosphere, in the pub with a pint, where we explore various historical periods in different ways rather than straight timeline history," Dr Dettman explained. "This includes thematical approaches to history as well as exploring the different historiographical debates within the material - the differences and divergence of opinion between leading historians. 

"I think it really works well because we tend to have a very good discussion and it doesn't necessarily rely upon myself, or Bram in the past, to drive the material forward. People who attend the sessions really get involved."

While Mr Wanroijj, the former Head of history at De La Salle, has now moved to Vietnam, Mr Dettman decided to continue the sessions following public demand.

Pictured: The first session will take place at the Peirson Pub, on Royal Square.

He has now planned four sessions to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.

Between 15 October and 5 November, the discussions will detail the fallout of the conflict and explore the world in November 1918, particularly Germany, Great Britain, the United Sates and the Soviet Union. The next four sessions will chronicle the Russian Revolution from 1900 to 1939 - two topics in which Dr Dettman said he had "extensive knowledge and interest."

"Anniversaries of historical events often serve as good opportunities to reengage with the material in new ways - something that is very important to me as a historian and necessary for the discipline to evolve."

Fun begins on 15 October at 18:30 at the Pierson Pub.