Opinions

Happy and Healthy 2015

constantinakatsari January 3, 2015

I am so happy this year that I cannot help but want to wish the same for Love of History followers. Let us face it, some of you have been following this blog unfailingly for the past 5 years. As I am getting ready to take it to the next level, I would like to thank you for your support and eager readership. Without the encouraging comments and interesting discussions I would not have been able to keep at it for so long. So, enjoy the new articles and posts I will be uploading from time to time a... »

Happy New Old Life!

constantinakatsari December 31, 2014

Christmas is time for deep reflection on the past and happy thoughts for the future. At least for me! I always use the free time to understand better what I achieved so far, and what I would like to target in the future. For some disturbing reason, this year I decided to return to the past! As a historian, it would seem to be the obvious choice for many. And yet, it is not the obvious choice for me. For the past year I was dealing almost exclusively with innovative companies. In a sense, ... »

My transition, from academic to entrepreneur

constantinakatsari September 4, 2014

It’s a year since I left academia and I would like to share with you a few lessons learned during the transition. While I was still at the University, I was led to believe that life outside the Ivory Tower was different – not in a good way. I was led to believe that I would never find anyone smart enough to talk to. I was led to believe that jobs were boring. I was led to believe that I would be caught in a 9-5 cycle of labour, 365 days a year (minus two weeks of holidays). I was le... »

Academic Freedom versus Corporate Branding: The Salaita Case

constantinakatsari August 27, 2014

You all know that the University of Illinois revoked a job offer to Prof. Steven Salaita, because he criticised Israel in its recent attacks in Gaza. The criticism came in the form of 140 character short tweets and ware angry in nature. By the time the professor learned the news, he already quit his job, sold his house and moved to Illinois with his family. Academics started supporting Salaita as soon as they found out about the case. Among the notable academics, you can probably recognis... »

The grave of Alexander the Great has NOT been found

constantinakatsari August 19, 2014

I follow with great interest the excavations in Amphipolis (Macedonia), where a monumental grave has been found. As everyone else, I am more than eager to see what is hiding behind the massive walls! So far, several theories regarding the ownership of the grave were brought forward. The most popular among them used to be that Roxanne, the wife of Alexander the Great, and their son may have been buried there. After all, they were murdered in the region! The proponents of this theory failed to exp... »

Historians need to make a lean startup or they will become a history relic

constantinakatsari June 22, 2014

The past two years, during my last days in academia and afterwards, I have been on a very steep learning curve. I learned how to view the world from a different perspective, how to talk to non academics, how to value ‘real’ life. As a result I reassessed my views on history and professional historians. First of all, I would like to admit that I am guilty. Throughout my academic career (which spans almost two decades) I have been guilty of ‘academic exceptionalism’. I read in depth histori... »

Looking to the past to share a future

constantinakatsari January 17, 2014

“I should like to try…” These were the words of young Agatha Miller when she was told detective stories were too difficult to write. We know her now as Agatha Christie, Queen of Crime and creator of detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. I should like to try. I love these five words. They summed up my transition from buried-under-books student to owner/manager of a historical theatre company, and my eventual specialisation as a costume historian. I now run the History Wardrobe series of ... »

Are you sure you want an academic job in History?

constantinakatsari December 21, 2013

So, you decided that your ideal job would be that of a University lecturer/ reader/ professor. So, was mine until I found out that the job was not exactly as I dreamed it to be. Actually, it turned out rather grim, stressful and not fulfilling. Don’t get me wrong! I do not want to discourage you from entering the Ivory Tower. However, you should enter with your eyes open and with significantly lower expectations. The requirements to get an academic job are much more demanding. 1. Publish or peri... »

How to Get a Job in History and Why you Should NOT Work for Free

constantinakatsari November 27, 2013

I have been a historian since I remember myself and I always managed to make money out of my chosen profession/ love/ hobby/ purpose in life. I have not always been working at a University as most people would expect. In fact, I started my long history career as an assistant in a Kebap House (go figure!) at the tender age of seventeen. I have learned a lot in that Kebap House about History. I listened to the odd conversation about illegal excavations, I got interested in the gossip about the arc... »

The latest interview of Dr. Constantina Katsari to BBC Radio Leicester

constantinakatsari November 12, 2013

My decision to leave the university of Leicester this year puzzled my friends, family, colleagues and others who followed my work closely. So, I decided to reveal my new and exciting plans on BBC Radio. Ben Jackson has been very kind to invite me on his show several months ago. Since I was going through a massive transformation in my professional as well as personal life, I decided to postpone it until this October. Finally, the interview was on air a few weeks ago and I decided to cut it down i... »