When I was at school, History wasn’t necessarily an obvious degree choice: I liked all humanities subjects, and the passions I had – for current affairs, music, art, and a good book – could have applied to lots of subjects. But having now studied History for two years, I’ve been able to pursue all of these interests, as well as studying stuff I never even knew existed! I’m also fascinated by the issue of identity and its impact on political life. My subject teaches me to interrogate that impact, giving me a better understanding of how people connect today, as well as how they did in the period I’m studying. It’s a perfect example of history’s enduring relevance to the present.”
- Mia Liyanage, History

If you want to find out more about truth and lies in democratic societies, Mia recommends:

Fake News, Real Consequences – The Daily by The New York Times

I swear by this 20-minute podcast by The New York Times, which you can listen to for free every weekday. In this episode, the Daily team investigates how exaggerated reports of a brutal crime in the small town of Twin Falls, Idaho had dramatic consequences for their community.

All The President’s Men by Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein

This best-selling book tells the remarkable story of the Watergate affair – a 1960s political scandal and a battle over what was ‘true’ which resulted in the resignation of the sitting American president, Richard Nixon.

Fake news and a 400-year-old problem: we need to resolve the ‘post-truth’ crisis by Luciano Floridi

In this Guardian article, Luciano Floridi – who is a professor of philosophy and the ethics of information at Oxford – makes a case for the dangers of fake news and the need for a strong, regulatory and ethics-based response.

Don’t Panic over Fake News by Bill Dutton

Another Oxford professor weighs into the debate here, this time presenting a very different view! This is a much longer article, but Bill Dutton’s provocative argument that we’re taking fake news too seriously makes it well worth a read.