Dear Reader,

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Welcome to EPOCH - the first postgraduate magazine supported by the History Department at Lancaster University. This is more than just a friendly salutation - it is also an introduction. Our inaugural issue represents the culmination of months of collaboration, ingenuity, and diligence. In January of 2020, nine members of the postgraduate history community came together to create a platform that would showcase the work of students and early career researchers. As 2020 progressed, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic proved increasingly disruptive across the globe, our framework adapted and shifted to facilitate the demands of digital delivery. Despite these fluctuations, our objectives remain the same.

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   EPOCH is, first and foremost, a scaffold for early researchers to present their professional work to wider audiences. The articles selected for publication have been written by authors from all over the world and provide a rich array of historical interests and specialisations. We continue to encourage submissions from all backgrounds, and we have not set any parameters on geography, chronology, methodology, or theme. There are several tools you can use to browse the website: by era, by region, or by thematic tags. We hope this cultivates ongoing curiosity in both the featured researchers and the forthcoming magazine issues. At the bottom of each article, you will find the biographical information of the contributing authors and their preferred social media handle.

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   The magazine is designed to be both accessible and academically rigorous. We have worked with our participating writers to craft pieces that convey their research in an engaging manner while demonstrating the academic efforts of these emerging scholars. Each author has provided a list of suggested reading for those who desire additional resources and further information.

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   Looking ahead, we have plans to expand our reach. We are looking to establish ongoing connections with international universities and institutions to exhibit material that is representative of both regional and global histories for our upcoming issues. If you have an interest in contributing to future issues, please read our Ethos and Submission Guidelines. We are also laying the groundwork for a podcast in 2021, allowing early researchers to discuss their ongoing projects and publications. 

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   Since our first meeting in January, we have accomplished a great deal, and we look forward to bringing you more issues. We thank the members of our advisory board for their support and expertise. Thank you for visiting the website and for letting us introduce you to EPOCH and, more importantly, the work of so many promising researchers. 

  

Yours sincerely,

The Editorial Board