IMC 2013: Sessions

Some forty percent of history PhDs now draw primarily on evidence from a particular area, and thus local and regional research contributes greatly to the wider field of historical enquiry.

'Local history' as a term, however, is sometimes regarded as the province of the amateur whose interests do not extend much beyond the parish pump, but the British Association for Local History exists at least partly to bridge the gap between independent scholars, local research groups, and university-based research. BALH's quarterly journal (The Local Historian) and newsletter, as well as its occasional publications, encourage the development of all scholars, and its contacts with local history societies are often able to provide the expertise and local knowledge which researchers from outside a particular area need. BALH also encourages its members to grapple with essential skills for studying medieval history: palaeography, Latin, and the ability to identify and comprehend significant source material.

In order to encourage young scholars to submit medieval period articles for publication in its journal, BALH intends to offer a new prize for an article based on a particular locality (either undergraduate or master's level) relating to some period before 1600.