With only a few weeks to go until the Easter holidays, we’re all trying to keep our heads up and smile through the pain of writing a million essays. The weather should be getting better, even though it isn’t really, but at least it doesn’t get dark at three o’clock in the afternoon! Get a cup of something hot, sit down, and relax whilst enjoying this issue.

Having celebrated International Women’s Day recently, we decided to focus this issue on women throughout history. Our articles cover important periods when great things happened, such as the abolition of sati, or widow immolation, in India, and the courageous involvement of Joan of Arc in the Hundred Years War. We have also focussed on women in history like Edith Cavell, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Michelle Obama.

Even though we are only in the third month of 2017, there have already been some great and not-so-great issues going on worldwide. We have a selection on articles on the Women’s March this year, the IS battle, the Oscars, and a history of space exploration.

Our ‘History You Should Know’ section is full to the brim with articles ranging all the way from a history of the Māori people, Cleopatra, and Richard III to the Russian Revolution, the Spanish Armada, and film in history.

Don’t forget to check out the final pages – we’ve got everything you need to know about the History department for the past few and upcoming months, including a section on the activities happening around Manchester, a History Society update, the latest news about our fabulous netball and football teams, a review of the Women In Media conference, and a peer mentoring and careers update.

We thoroughly hope you enjoy reading these articles as much as we loved editing them. Special thanks must go to our contributors, who repeatedly write interesting and thought-provoking articles. There is only one more issue to go of this academic year, so please try and get involved with it! Like our Facebook page ‘The Manchester Historian’ to stay updated or email us at manchesterhistorian@gmail.com for more information.

“When you’re knocked down, get right back up and never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.” – Hillary Clinton

Araddhna and Will