This week, ending in October 16 2014:
Today's thread is for open discussion of:
History in the academy
Historiographical disputes, debates and rivalries
Implications of historical theory both abstractly and in application
Philosophy of history
And so on
Regular participants in the Thursday threads should just keep doing what they've been doing; newcomers should take notice that this thread is meant for open discussion only of matters like those above, not just anything you like -- we'll have a thread on Friday for that, as usual.
What games do historians play? I mean, what are the playful ways in which historians keep up with history? Are there any contests specifically for history students and history departments that help them co-curricularly.
I'm seeing a relatively high number of gamers among younger historians and students, especially games like Total War, Civilization ("hehe, the Americans completed the Red Kremlin wonder"), Assassin's Creed and simulations.
Here is something I have been mulling over recently, and hopefully this is the right thread for it but what is the purpose of studying medieval history? It doesn't appear to have the same modern day relevance as studying say, World War One. So then is the purpose of studying medieval history merely an intellectual pursuit?