Student theatre may be a staple of undergraduate life today, but in Shakespeare’s time it was controversial and provocative, and may have inspired some of ‘The Bard’s’ most important pieces.

We continue to be deeply concerned and saddened by the war taking place in Ukraine. We are an international university, committed to social responsibility and democratic values. As we mark the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Dr Markian Prokopovych, Associate Professor at our History Department, discusses a series of topical webinars, and the global significance Ukraine has become.

In a new study, Durham researchers have investigated how a vast number of musical cues can help shape different emotions in music.

A new study led by Dr Paddy Ross in our Psychology Department has shown that music can significantly influence emotion recognition in children.

Staff and students are planning chocolate-themed events in the lead up to Valentine’s Day in connection with a research project about the origins and history of chocolate.

During National Storytelling Week, 30 January – 5 February, we are celebrating the incredible storytelling talents within our University community. Novelists, biographers, poets, playwrights and actors; our academics and our students find diverse ways to tell a good yarn. Here we hear from two acclaimed writers, Naomi Booth and Claire Harman, who also teach the Creative Writing MA, MLitt and PhD courses run by the Department of English Studies.

During National Storytelling Week, 30 January – 5 February, we have been hearing from three budding writers who are currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing in the Department of English Studies.

During National Storytelling Week, we hear from Abir Hamdar, Professor in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at Durham University, and also playwright and author of short stories.

Durham University Classical Theatre (DUCT) are bringing 17th century London to 21st -century Durham with this family-friendly Shakespearean comedy from February 16 - 18

Durham University and over 30 partner organisations have created an international network that will open new research and collaboration opportunities for Nineteenth-Century Studies.

New research from Durham University’s Music & Science Lab suggests that while biology may determine which sounds we perceive as unpleasant, musical preference is culturally acquired.