St Edmund Hall Blog
The St Edmund Hall blog brings you the latest thought in academic research and interesting artefacts from our archive and library.
Please note that any opinions or views expressed by blog contributors are not shared or held by St Edmund Hall.
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The 21st Century Global Economy
22 Jan 2020
The world changed dramatically in the latter part of the 20th century. The conclusion of the Cold War at the end of the 1980s heralded a period of not only profound political but also economic change.
12 Days of Christmas Puzzles
2 Jan 2020
Over the Christmas period we ran a Christmas puzzle challenge on our social media channels. Due to their popularity, we have compiled them all here and provided more for everyone to try in case you missed the posts.
Johannes Kepler on Snowflakes or what to give someone who has everything
4 Dec 2019
As Christmas approaches I find myself again, as every year, wondering rather desperately what to give friends and family. This is also the dilemma that led to the writing of one of the rarest examples of early scientific writin…
How does disorder affect Quantum Systems?
27 Nov 2019
In this blog, Isabel Creed discusses the basic principles behind her research into how disorder affects Quantum Mechanical systems.
Triptych – our connection to the medieval Hall
20 Nov 2019
The college is fortunate to own a late medieval triptych which, after a number of years hidden from view, has returned to permanent display in the Ante-Chapel. The triptych originates from the southern Netherlands and dates fro…
King Arthur & St Edmund: An Exhibition Summary
5 Nov 2019
Partly for the challenge. One of the fun things about putting together a display of books in the Old Library is thinking of ways that different books, and their illustrations, bindings, annotations and previous owners illustrat…
The History of the Earth at an Arms Length
30 Oct 2019
I study the origin of complex life. I want to understand why it took so long to go from simple single cell organisms, such as amoebas and algae, to things like multicellular organisms like plants and animals. I do this by exami…
St Edmund of Abingdon and the Origins of the Medieval Hall
22 Oct 2019
Dr Emily Winkler on the naming and the origins of St Edmund Hall.
Charity begins at home
14 Oct 2019
Rob Petre, College Archivist at St Edmund Hall delves into life into the oldest record at the Hall.
An introduction to research in Computational Complexity Theory
26 Jun 2019
Professor of Computer Science and Senior Research Fellow at St Edmund Hall, Leslie Ann Goldberg introduces computational complexity theory.
‘Long live freedom!’ – Student Resistance against the Nazis
19 Jun 2019
German tutor Dr Alexandra Lloyd discusses the White Rose, a group of students and their professor who defied the Nazis.
The Art of Ballet: The Peter Farmer Collection at Teddy Hall
12 Jun 2019
Professor Jonathan Yates, our Picture and Chattels Fellow, discusses the College’s collection of works by esteemed ballet and set designer, Peter Farmer.
'Neat and commodious': Some views of Teddy Hall and Oxford
5 Jun 2019
Librarian James Howarth discusses some of the images of St Edmund Hall and University from the College’s collection
"Pusey's Henchman": a Tractarian at the Hall
29 May 2019
Archivist Rob Petre discusses Henry Parry Liddon’s time as Vice Principal of the Hall from 1859 to 1862.
I Guess the Rains Down in Africa
21 May 2019
Stipendiary Lecturer in Physical Geography Callum Munday discusses Toto, droughts and how we can better predict the future of rainfall in Africa.
No book rest for the wicked
15 May 2019
What happens when a group of teenagers are let loose with 17th century books?
Mammals During the Extinction of Dinosaurs
8 May 2019
Professor and Tutor in Earth Sciences, Roger Benson discusses mammals and their jaws during the extinction of the dinosaurs
The Morris Window
30 Apr 2019
Professor Jonathan Yates, our Picture and Chattels Fellow, discusses one of Oxford’s ‘hidden gems’ – the ‘Morris Window’ situated in the College’s chapel.
Celtic Magic
24 Apr 2019
English tutor, Professor Mark Williams discusses magical transformations in the Celtic ‘Four Branches of the Mabinogi’ and the problematic conflict between God’s powers and those of fictional enchanters.
Why the oohs and ahhs?
16 Apr 2019
Luminous coffee stain or momentous achievement? Professor Jeff Tseng weighs up the significance of the first picture of a black hole captured by the Event Horizon Telescope that was all over last week’s news.
The First Lady and the Library: Eleanor Roosevelt and St Edmund Hall
9 Apr 2019
Learn about Eleanor Roosevelt’s visit to the Hall sixty years ago, plus James Howarth guides us through some American-related items in our library collection.
A Medieval Mystery Cycle for Oxford at St Edmund Hall
28 Mar 2019
Professor Henrike Lähnemann explains the popular tradition of mystery plays in the Middle Ages, and invites you to see a modern-day version performed at the College.
A very honest, modest, & ingenious Man: Francis White and the Benefactors’ Board in St Peter-in-the-East
12 Mar 2019
St Edmund Hall’s Librarian James Howarth tells the story of Francis White and his legacy across the University and the city.
Rousseauville
6 Mar 2019
Tutor in Politics and Library Fellow at St Edmund Hall, Karma Nabulsi discusses ‘The Man’, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and his relevance in Oxford.
Ceri Richards: Supper at Emmaus
27 Feb 2019
Learn about the commission of our striking altarpiece, and the genesis and development of the picture, in a post by Professor Jonathan Yates.
What we can learn from the Great Economists
20 Feb 2019
Economist Dr Linda Yueh describes how lessons from history can be invaluable in tackling current issues such as slow economic growth and why wages are so low even as the economy improves.
Principal Emden: ‘the force that did what had waited 700 years’
13 Feb 2019
Archivist Rob Petre explains the huge impact of Alfred Brotherston Emden, without whom the College would likely not exist today.
An Open and Shut Case: Membrane Transport in Health and Disease
4 Feb 2019
Professor Robert Wilkins explains the role of transport proteins and how we can target them to treat a broad spectrum of diseases, from arthritis to cancer.
An Introduction to the College Chapel
23 Jan 2019
Professor Jonathan Yates, our Picture and Chattels Fellow, tells the history of the seventeenth-century building and points out some of its interesting features.
![Ronald Reagan televised address from the Oval Office, outlining plan for Tax Reduction Legislation July, 1981 - White House Photo Office; Originally uploaded to Wikipedia by Happyme22 [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](/asset/Ronald_Reagan_televised_address_from_the_Oval_Office_outlining_plan_for_Tax_Reduction_Legislation_July_1981.jpg "Ronald_Reagan_televised_address_from_the_Oval_Office,_outlining_plan_for_Tax_Reduction_Legislation_July_1981")
Writing the History of Neoliberalism
15 Jan 2019
Professor David Priestland, who is currently writing a history of neoliberalism as a global phenomenon between the 1970s and 2008, explains the term and its appeal to him as a historian.