Dr Daniel Weinbren

Professional biography

Experienced transdisciplinary university researcher, with a particular specialism in personal, community and local perspectives and a practical knowledge of working with public, private and mutual external organisations and delivering to a range of audiences, employing a variety of media and methods. I am looking to build on my three Masters qualifications in Labour History, Creative Writing and Art History, my history PhD and my publications.

Publications

Chapters

1. The Open University, UK' in Sanjaya Mishra and Santosh Panda (eds) Handbook of Open Universities Around the World, Routledge 2025.
2. “Disembodied and airborne”. Reflections on the Open University (UK) After 50 Years’ in Ralph Jessen (ed). Visions of society. New Universities and the 20th Century Europe, Böhlau Verlag, Cologne, 2025.
3. Preface to T. Hewitt et al, Heroes all. Send and Ripley at home and abroad during World War I, Send and Ripley History Society, 2020
4. ‘Degrees of Freedom: a university without walls’, in James Mehigan and Rod Earle (eds.) Degrees of Freedom, Policy Press, 2019.
5. ‘Prisoner students: building bridges, breaching walls’, in Jodi Burkett (ed.), Students in Twentieth-Century Britain and Ireland, Palgrave MacMillan, London, 2018.
6. ‘John H. Horlock’, National Academy of Engineering, National Academies Press, Washington, 2017.
7. ‘Freemasonry and friendly societies’ in Henrik Bogdan and Jan Snoek (eds.), Handbook on contemporary freemasonry, Brill, Leiden, and Boston, 2014.
8. ‘Asa Briggs and the opening up of The Open University’, in Miles Taylor (ed.), The Age of Asa, Palgrave, 2014.
9. ‘Mutual Aid and the Big Society’ in Armine Ishkanian and Simon Szreter (eds.) The Big Society Debate: a new agenda for social welfare? Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, 2012.
10. ‘“Organisations for brotherly aid in misfortune”: Beveridge and the friendly societies’, in Melanie Oppenheimer and Nicholas Deakin (eds.) Beveridge and voluntary action in Britain and the wider British world, Manchester University Press, Manchester, 2011.
11. ‘The social capital of female friendly societies’ in Máire Cross (ed.), Gender and Fraternal Orders in Europe, 1300-2000, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, 2010.
12. ‘Seven hundred years of fraternal orders’ in Máire Cross (ed.), Gender and Fraternal Orders in Europe, 1300-2000, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, 2010.
13. ‘Heritage and the recent and contemporary past’ (with R. Ferguson & R. Harrison) in Tim Benton (ed.), Understanding heritage and memory, Manchester University Press, Manchester, 2010.
14. ‘‘The roles of families’ in Ian Donnachie (ed.), Themes in local and regional history, Open University, 2010.
15. ‘Supporting self-help: charity, mutuality and reciprocity in nineteenth-century Britain’ in Bernard Harris and Paul Bridgen (eds.) Charity and mutual aid: in Europe and North America since 1800, Routledge, London and New York, 2007.
16. ‘Sociable capital’ in Matthew Worley (ed.) Labour's grass roots: essays on the activities and experiences of local Labour parties and members, 1918-1945, Ashgate, Aldershot, 2005.

Academic Books

1. Freemasons, Friendly Societies and Trade Unions, P&S, 2019.
2. Now the war is over: Britain 1919-1920, (with S Fowler), P&S, 2018.
3. The Open University. A History, Manchester University Press, 2014.
4. The Oddfellows. 200 years of making friends and helping people, Carnegie, 2010.
5. Hendon Labour Party 1924-1992, Microform Academic, 1998.
6. Generating Socialism: recollections of life in the Labour Party, Sutton, 1997.
7. A history of Thomas Morson & Son, 1997.
8. A Short History of Royal Ordnance, Patricroft, Middlesex University Press, 1995 (with T Putnam).
9. A Short History of the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, Middlesex University Press, 1992 (with T Putnam).

 Academic journal articles

1. ‘The Open University and Prison Education in the UK – the first 50 years’, Incarceration, Journal of Prison Education and Reentry, 7, 1, 2021, (with J Mehigan, R Earle and A Pike).
2. ‘Fraternal Networks Of Victorian Norfolk’, Family & Community History, 24:1, 2021.
3. ‘The Singing Strikers of 1928–29: Cultural Contestation, Community and Communists’, Family & Community History, 23:3, 2020.
4. ‘Learning to live together? The Open University, student prisoners and “the Troubles”’, Family and Community History, 23, 1, 2020.
5. ‘“To support active empirical research at the grassroots” the Family and Community Historical Research Society’, Family and Community History, 22:1, April 2019.
6. ‘The world in 1913’, Historian, 120, January 2014.
7. ‘Filled with Good Social Democrats’: The Open University and the development of the Knowledge Economy, 1969–1989’, Journal of the World University Forum, 5, 2012.
8. ‘Beneath the all-seeing eye. Fraternal order and friendly societies’ banners’, Journal of Cultural History, 3:2, 2006.
9. ‘The Good Samaritan, friendly societies and the gift economy’, Social History, 31:3, 2006.
10. ‘Getting a grip ― the roles of friendly societies in Australia and the UK reappraised’ (with B. James) Labour History, 89, 2005 [Australia].
11. ‘Imagined families: research on friendly societies’ Mitteilungsblatt des Instituts für die Geschichte der sozialen Bewegungen, 27, 2002 [Germany].
12. ‘Relative value: the financing of families’, Family and Community History, 2:1, 1999. I was the theme editor of this issue of the journal.
13. ‘“From gun carriage to railway carriage”: the fight for peace work at the Woolwich Arsenal 1919-22’, Labour History Review, 63:3, 1998
14. ‘New Labour, New history?’ Labour History Review, 63:2, 1998.
15. ‘Building communities, constructing identities. The rise of the Labour Party in London’, London Journal, 23:1, 1998.
16. ‘The Royal Small Arms Factory and industrial Enfield 1855-1914’ (with T. Putnam) London Journal, 21:1, 1996.
17. ‘Labour’s roots and branches: the Labour Oral History Project’, Oral History Journal, 24:1, 1996.,I was special editor of this issue.
18. ‘Labour representation in Woolwich’, Labour History Review, 59:3, 1994.
19. ‘“Against all cruelty”, The Humanitarian League 1891-1919’, History Workshop Journal, 38, 1994.
20. ‘Revolution at the Arsenal’, South London Record, 2, 1987.

Teaching and outreach

1. Environment: change contest and response Study Guide 2008, 4 volumes
2. Environment: change contest and response Study Guide 2009 4 volumes
3. Country profiles, Open University, 2002.
4. Family and Community History Internet Guide, Open University, 2000.
5. Remembering, BBC, 2nd edition, 1997.
6. Remembering, BBC, 1996.
7. Reports in Family and Community History (editor, with L Faulkner and R Finnegan), Open University, 2001.
8. Reports in Family and Community History (editor, with L Faulkner and R Finnegan), Open University, 2000.

Books Monthly called Freemason, Friendly Society and Trade Unions, ‘informative and insightful, concise and accessible, detailed … the ideal introduction and an essential guide’.

The Military Historical Review stated of Now the War is Over:
For the first time in recent years this meticulously researched and highly readable tour de force highlights and evaluates the political, social and economic impact of the Great War on Britain in the aftermath of the Armistice. It is impossible to do full justice to this compelling account which this reviewer considers essential reading for anyone seeking to truly understand the impact and lasting legacy of the War on Britain. The book is based on hundreds of different sources, books, archives and websites. The text is fully annotated and supported by almost 40 pages of detailed footnotes. Most highly recommended.

A review of my The Open University. A History in the International Journal of Lifelong Education called it ‘incisive and energizing’ adding that the ‘principal strength of this account lies in the intimate way in which we are presented with not only the institution but the people’. The Welsh History Review concluded that it is a ‘very substantial work’. The Times Higher called it ‘fascinating and inspiring’. Tony Bates, the author of eleven books about online learning and distance education, wrote: ‘Weinbren has undertaken an extremely challenging task and met the challenge superbly. I hope you will enjoy the book as much as I have. More importantly, there are very important lessons to be drawn from this book about the nature of university education, equity, and government policy toward higher education.’ Professor Ken Thompson called it ‘a serious and detailed account [which] is particularly strong on the educational and organizational issues’. The review in Open Learning called it ‘a valuable account for anyone concerned with the history of higher education and society in the late twentieth and early twenty-first century’.

My book Generating Socialism was the New Statesman ‘Book of the Month’ at the time of a General Election and has been widely and favourably reviewed. Professor Paul Thompson of the National Life Story Collection wrote that it is ‘a tremendously important piece of work both historically and politically’. Jim Fyrth said that it was ‘excellent', Professor Jerry White called the book ‘absolutely wonderful’, Professor Stefan Berger wrote that it was ‘a marvellous book’, Professor Kevin Morgan said that it ‘will prove an invaluable resource for present and future historians’, Dr Eugenio F Biagini called it ‘of considerable value to scholars’, and Professor Lawrence Black called it ‘insightful’. The Times Higher said it was ‘fresh and entertaining’ and Labour History Review said ‘Written in a popular and accessible style, it provides a new sort of account of the history of the Labour Party’. Frank Allaun MP called the book 'first class’, adding that it ‘describes how the Labour Party ticks better than almost any other book that I've read’.

The Oddfellows (my book about the most popular of the friendly societies) was also well-received:

•  ‘a rich text … detailed and important history [with] a significance beyond the Order … an admirable work of history ... a contextually rich, historiographically complex picture … superbly illustrated … an excellent summary of the current state of the fraternal history and an indicator of its future potential’ (Journal for Research into Freemasonry and Fraternalism).

•  ‘well-researched ... well written ... full of illustrations ... evokes a strong sense of the society and its appeal’ (North West Labour History).

• ‘A comprehensive study … There is a wealth of detail … important topics set out clearly … well illustrated, tables and figures used to good effect and there is a useful glossary and excellent footnotes’ (Family and Community History).

•  ‘accessible … a thoroughly good read … Academically the book has clearly been meticulously researched’ (Foresters’ Heritage Trust).

•  ‘fills an important and neglected aspect of our social and economic life … an invaluable source of information’ (Journal of Co-operative Studies).

Conference Presentations

I have presented over 40 papers to academic conferences in Belgium, France Greece, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, the USA, and in many locations in the UK. A Research Council member described my contribution to a recent academic conference as ‘brilliant’. In 2019 I was a guest speaker at both the International Conference in Critical Management Studies and at the Visions of society. New Universities and the 20th Century Europe conference, Cologne.

Reviews

I have reviewed over 50 books in a variety of academic journals including Economic History Review, Family and Community History, History, Journal of Freemasonry and Fraternalism, The London Journal, Oral History and Oral History Review. I have also had my reviews published in a number of popular journals.

Refereeing

Book proposals for Palgrave, Macmillan, Hodder, Arnold and Routledge.

Bid proposals to the ESRC and the AHRC. The assessor of the ESRC singled me out as a ‘well informed referee’.

Articles for London Journal, Oral History, Politics, Labour History Review, Family and Community History, History of Education, History Workshop Journal, International Yearbook of Oral History and Life Stories, Victorian Review (USA) and Labour History (Australia).

Editorial work

2012–2015          Associate Editor, Journal of the World Universities Forum.

2009 – 2015 Editorial Board member, Journal for Research into Freemasonry and Fraternalism.

2003–2009          Editorial Board member of The National Archives journal, Ancestors.

2001 – Series Editor, Microform Academic, Friendly Societies’ Records. Over 100 films have been sourced, edited, filmed and introduced by academic experts.

1998 – Joint founding editor Family and Community History and now Editorial Associate.

1996–2000           Special editor Oral History (Spring 1996) and Oral History editor.

Other media                                                                                                                                      

An exhibition, based on my project of recording the memories of 200 labour activists from across the UK, was opened by the Home Secretary and toured the UK.                                                                                       

Exhibition for the OU’s ‘Storied Lives’ project.                                                                                 

Two displays for the South Bank exhibition space.                                                                          

OU speaker and contributor to South Bank, The rest is noise festival, 2013.                         

Interviewee, BBC Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and BBC Three Counties 2018.             

Advisor Norfolk Museum Services, 2016.                                                                                            

Advisor People’s History Museum.                                                                                                       

Advisor BBC Archive Hour on Asa Briggs, 2017.                                                                                 

Advisor BBC Archive Hour on the OU over 50 years, 2019.                                                           

Wired November 2018, https://www.wired.co.uk/article/open-university-uk-enrollment-courses-problems

Obituary writer, Daily Telegraph, 9 April 2013 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/9980159/Oxford-may-have-snubbed-Margaret-Thatcher-but-higher-education-owes-her-a-debt.html                                                                 

Presentations on OU history to OU Alumni, OUSA, staff and donors 2014-2018.                 

Principal Speaker on Jennie Lee for popular event in her home town, 2016.                        

I have addressed local and specialist national history societies, The National Archives, Greenwich Maritime Museum and London Archives.

Research interests

1/ The development of mutual aid and fraternal associations, friendly societies, trade unions, Freemasons.

2/ Historical perspectives on the precedents, politics, personalities and pedagogies of the Open University.

Teaching interests