Igniting Collaboration: 2025 Joint Seed Fund Projects

Rethinking Global History in a Changing World

Global history has been a major focus at the University of Warwick for nearly two decades, thanks to the pioneering work of scholars like Professor Maxine Berg and Professor Giorgio Riello. But the world and the academic landscape have changed. Movements like Black Lives Matter, the push to decolonise education, and growing awareness of global crises have challenged historians to take a fresh look at how we study the past.

In response, researchers from Warwick and Shanghai Jiao Tong University are working together to explore new directions for global history in the era of decolonisation. Their joint project, Whose Global History? brings together partners from across Europe, China, Japan, Latin America, South Asia, and Africa. The goal is to build a more inclusive, collaborative, and balanced approach to global history, one that moves beyond traditional Western perspectives.

The proposed project will focus on historical connections between Central Asia and China, and between China and Southeast Asia, offering fresh insights into global interactions and cultural exchange. By rethinking how global history is studied and shared, this collaboration aims to shape a more representative and relevant understanding of our shared past.

Why Storytelling is the Future of Science Communication

Science can be complex, but storytelling is helping make it more relatable and easier to understand. Unlike traditional methods of sharing information, storytelling turns research into engaging narratives that capture people’s attention and improve how science is communicated.

Despite its growing importance, our understanding of how storytelling works in science communication remains limited. That’s why teams from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the University of Warwick are joining forces to study it more closely.

This project focuses on science videos shared on Bilibili, a popular video platform in China. Using digital storytelling theory and advanced text analysis, the researchers are exploring how different storytelling elements like structure, tone, and language affect how well scientific content is communicated and understood. The findings will offer new insights into how storytelling boosts science communication, helping researchers and educators share their work more effectively.

This collaboration aims to deepen our understanding of science communication and support its growth as a field, making science more accessible, engaging, and impactful for everyone.