ABSTRACT
The History Workshop conference on patriotism was extremely provoking and evocative, rich in detail and political cross-currents. It has made me feel more hesitant about my views, but it has also encouraged me to put in my own oar more deeply to pull against one direction. In this spirit then, in response to an occasion o f warmth and frankness, I’d like to express my doubts about an attitude to history frequently prevalent in the discussions. I refer to the way many o f us root around in the past to find our kind o f guys, the good guys - ‘our side’ .
