The Critical History Tours Project is an EU-funded, Erasmus+ initiative running from 2025 to 2028. Building on the pioneering approach of Uncomfortable Oxford, the project will replicate and expand our methods to create innovative, critical history tours across Europe.

Across the world, political polarisation is accelerating. It often converges on places where history is contested. Monuments, statues, museums, and city streets carry profound meaning for many communities, and they have often become flashpoints for long-running disagreements about the consequences of the past. In both tourism and heritage, guides and educators are on the front lines of these debates. They are asked to interpret sensitive histories without clear tools for navigating polarised discussions or better addressing bias within the landscape. Meanwhile, social divisions continue to be brought into galleries, tourist routes, and urban centres. It is both vital and challenging to handle these topics with care, accuracy, and confidence.

The Critical History Tours Project was started to address these modern issues. It is a dynamic, multi-partner effort to meet the challenge head-on. As part of the project, Uncomfortable Oxford will be designing, testing, and championing critical walking tours across Europe, using the city itself as a classroom. The project will tackle the tensions behind historical debates and how they surface in public spaces, especially city centres and museums.

By positioning walking tours at the intersection of public history, heritage, and tourism, the project will move beyond passive sightseeing to foster informed, constructive conversations.