A Cultural History of... Bake Off

A Cultural History of... Tidying Up

Cesci & Miranda battle to impress actor, theatre maker, clown and generally very tidy-person Lauren Silver with the sociological, cultural and historical facts about tidying up. From the KonMari philosophy of folding, to having a kink for oven cleaning, our cultural historians leave no stone unturned, carefully polished and put back in its place in their quest to impress Lauren with their neat-know how,

A Cultural History of... Celebrity Death

2016 was the year of celebrity death, or was that just our changing cultural perception? This month Miranda & Cesci are joined by journalist, obituary writer and suspected celebrity serial killer Robert JE Simpson to share cultural, social and historical precedents for celebrity cadavers. From CGI resurrection to real life dead-pools, our resident academics battle it out to be crowned the most interesting cultural historian and take their bets as to whether the Queen is looking a lil'peaky....

A Cultural History Of...Dick Pics

This month Cesci and Miranda are dicking around with guest Andrew Carson. Find out more than you ever wanted to know about the cultural precedents of the go to seduction method of the horny smartphone user.

A Cultural History of .. . Killer Clowns

If there's something strange in your neighbourhood... who ya gonna call? .... Probably not your local friendly arts academics but we will do our damn best. This year the Killer Clowns were suddenly everywhere, roaming the globe getting us Pennywise-petrified. But where did they come from? Miranda and Cesci are here to help you unpack the historical, social and theoretical precedents for why you shouldn't trust folk in make up with chainsaws. Joined by writer, journalist, performer and all round good clown-face egg (more on that later) Dr Charlie Oughton, the pair battle it out for academic supremacy. This is made increasingly difficult by trying to keep their wits as Dr Oughton terrifies them with his work on true life clown-killers, especially the rather nasty tricks of John Wayne Gacy.... So get cosy and prepare for an educational scaring on murdering Pierrots, Freudian greasepaint and surprisingly transcendent clownfish...

A Cultural History of... Bake Off

As we approach the 2016 final, we discuss the cultural and historical precedents of that iconic patriotic Institution: The Great British Bake Off. From epicurean architecture to lemon drizzle as an alternative citizenship test; academics Miranda & Cesci battle it out to gain the interest of resident Bake Off enthusiast and Aga-sceptic Erin. Who will be victorious in this exploration of puddings, puns and performative pies? what even is Botanical week? Join us to find out and then let us know @aculthistoryof if our enthusiast made the right choice or should be condemned to a life of Gregg's savouries.