the Sundarban Plan by Jmaes Westland

In the 1780s, much of the route through

s still passed through dense forest, with no habitations along either side. Then Jessore magistrate Tilman Henckell began a scheme to reclaim the forest for cultivation. By 1787, 21,000 bighas were already under cultivation — but disputes over land soon threatened the entire plan. Zamindars began claiming lands granted to taluqdars, while some reclaimed areas fell back into jungle. Yet cultivation continued to expand, and about twenty miles of Sundarban land was eventually reclaimed from forest and brought under cultivation.

Historian Vivek Bald uncovers the forgotten history of early Bengali migrants in America

—men who built lives in Black and Puerto Rican neighbourhoods, formed families across racial and religious lines, and became part of communities of colour long before today’s South Asian American enclaves emerged. Read the full interview via the link in the comments.

Seeking Justice for Gendered Violence” by Erin Beck and Lynn Stephen

is an ethnography on how laws and institutions designed to address violence against women in Guatemala interact with norms, authority structures, and care strategies of Indigenous women and how Indigenous women survive, resist, and support one another using grassroots knowledge. Save 30% with coupon E26SJGV and learn more at the link in our bio. #newbook

Decolonising Research Practices in Education: Kincentric and Relational Methodologies by Paul Meighan (2026)

: A Review by Swarnava Hati #decolonisation #decolonisingresearch #decolonialknowledge Link in bio.

Of Tribes and Empires: Essay on Variations in the Relationship between Social Morphologies and Political Orders" by Mohamed Cherkaoui, published in our Youth in a Globalizing World book series!

Recent title: "

📚About the book: "Of Tribes and Empires" challenges the idea that states and empires naturally emerge by overcoming tribal societies. Focusing on the region from the Sahara to the Gobi Desert, Cherkaoui argues that political order has long been shaped by a durable struggle between tribal organization and imperial power. Empires rise by incorporating tribes, yet rarely succeed in neutralizing them. From the incomplete Romanization of Berber societies to the institutional fragility of Islamic empires, tribal structures repeatedly undermine imperial centralization. This unresolved tension, Cherkaoui contends, continues to shape political authority in contemporary Arab-Muslim societies and helps explain the failure of the emergence of capitalism and liberal-democracy. The book also reveals why imperial claims to cultural universality collapse, introducing “proletaroid intellectuals” as key producers of ideological resistance and alternative forms of legitimacy. Learn more: https://brill.com/display/title/75163

Doing History: An Introduction to the Problem-Led Study of the Past by KLAUS NATHAUS

'

' provides a guide to how to 'do' historical research. It explains how historians generate questions and position themselves in the scholarly debate, and demonstrates how they define empirical cases and locate primary sources.

A short history on the Gaza Strip by Anne Irfan

Since October 2023, Israel has carried out one of the most brutal military onslaughts in modern

, in response to the Hamas-led attacks of October 7. But Gaza had long been in crisis even prior to the current violence, now widely recognized as genocidal. For seventy-seven years, the Palestinian people have endured displacement, occupation, collective punishment, and ethnic cleansing—with those in Gaza often bearing the brunt of it. With remarkable clarity and compassion, historian Anne Irfan tells the story of the Gaza Strip through six pivotal moments in its modern history, beginning with Israel’s expulsion of the Palestinian people upon its establishment in 1948, when Gaza absorbed more Palestinian refugees per head than anywhere else—a demographic shift that became central to its identity. As Irfan takes us through Israel’s occupations of Gaza, the Palestinian national struggle and formation of the PLO, the first intifada, the creation of the Palestinian Authority, and the rise of Hamas, she tackles widespread historical ignorance and untangles contradicting narratives. Drawing on a decade of research, Irfan weaves in the voices of everyday Palestinians, from farmers who became refugees in Gaza to poets and activists who grew up in the Strip. Featuring a foreword from Gazan writer and analyst Muhammad Shehada, A SHORT HISTORY OF THE GAZA STRIP is an indispensable read for anyone seeking to understand Palestine and its impact on the world. Available now in paperback. https://wwnorton.com/books/a-short-history-of-the-gaza-strip See less