IN DEFENCE OF TEACHING HISTORYNicolas Kinloch

Nicolas Kinloch looks at the ways in which today’s approach to history is often more concerned with modern activism than an appreciation of the past. History is not just about race and victimhood; nor is it a mere collection of simple moral tales, he argues. Instead, it is a maze of conflicting, stories to tell – all of which students should be exposed to. Teachers should have the courage to reject the restraints imposed by Critical Race Theory, he argues, and take up the challenge of leading students through the strange and different worlds of the past.

Nicolas Kinloch was educated at Reigate Grammar School, and read modern history at the University of Liverpool. He was head of history and professional tutor at the Netherhall School and Sixth Form College, Cambridge, where he also taught Russian. Nicolas has been a teacher fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies, and has taught in Sweden, Estonia, Japan and Kazakhstan. He has been a deputy president of the Historical Association, of which he is an honorary fellow. He was a regular contributor for many years to BBC History Magazine and is the author of several books.