Interested in all things defence? Take a peek inside our
Monthly Members' Newsletter
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For new friends, welcome! We are an interdisciplinary network of Masters, PhD and Early Career Researchers focused on defence, security and military topics in relation to policy, strategy, history, culture and society. We hope you find our network interesting, exciting, informative, and supportive.
For old friends, thanks for your continued involvement. We would be nothing without you! This December, we've got your last-minute Christmas gift-giving covered, we're announcing our essay competition winners, and we're showering you with opportunities for the New Year.
Scroll down to get up to date with the news, opinions, and events from our members...
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I hadn't quite expected to be greeted by thousands of tiny pinks and red hearts as I strolled along London's Southbank earlier this month. The mundaneness of my day gave me a momentary respite from the headlines and, lost in a podcast, I had the strange feeling of escapism as I watched the sun bounce off the Thames. Contemplating the Londoners hurrying about their days around me, it felt, in some ways, like life moving on; there is Christmas shopping to be done, deadlines to be met, emails to send.
Yet, at the same time, it is undeniably, irreparably different. As the stretch of hearts so powerfully bring home, learning to live with the anxiety, uncertainty, and loss of the past two years, folding the memory into ourselves and attempting to carve some new semblance of 'normal', will alter how our journeys unfold into 2022 and beyond. I stayed a long time at the National COVID Memorial Wall, breathing in the aching pain of the past two years and trying to work out how I felt. Exhausted. Grieving. Overwhelmed. Tender. But, most importantly, loved. Each heart is a reminder that love has fuelled us through the darkest days of the pandemic, and will continue to do so as long as we don't lose sight of it.
2021, then, has been a year of remembrance. Collectively processing the horror of COVID whilst confronted by mutated threats, political upheaval, and intensifying racialised and gendered violence has left us questioning our place in the world. Who gets to be remembered? By whom? How are we remembered? And, what are we remembered for? The politics of memory determines not only how we know the past - such as the failure to honour Black and Asian first world war casualties or the commemoration of slave owners - but how we know ourselves and our futures. This is particularly pertinent as serving and ex-serving personnel reflect upon the aftermath of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Many see this year's Remembrance period as particularly difficult as they grapple with doubt over what their sacrifices were for and, importantly, what makes a British veteran today. We are incredibly lucky as a community to be involved in some excellent, timely work in this field and we look forward to supporting this throughout 2022.
As we enter this Christmas period, I urge you to be kind, to give yourself the space to rest, and be grateful for the love that you give and receive.
Have a very Merry Christmas,
The DRN Team
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Who gets to be a casualty of war?
(TW: suicide)
ITV News reported last month the story of Royal Engineers Warrant Officer Nathan Hunt, who died by suicide in 2018 following 23 years of service including time in Helmand Province. Prior to his death, he had been diagnosed with mental health issues linked to combat stress. Nonetheless, his family has been told that WO Hunt will not be added to the national Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum after defence officials ruled in May that his death was not directly linked to his service.
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After their appeal was rejected this September, Nathan's parents, Maria and Derek Hunt, wrote to Prince Harry, who fought alongside their son in Afghanistan, in an attempt to get the decision reversed. During the inquiry into his son's death, Derek Hunt said: "I don't see Nathan's death as any different to if he had been shot on the battlefield", whilst their letter to Pince Harry read: "We believe he was a casualty of war and he died of mental wounds sustained during his service in Afghanistan". This story highlights the importance of publicly recognising the effects of war-related trauma and remembering the breadth of sacrifice that accompanies service.
What do you think? Let us know on Twitter!
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Meet the Essay Competition Winners!
After much deliberation, we are pleased to announce the winning entries from our inaugural essay competition! For the past term, we have been asking Masters students to craft their most creative responses to the question: ‘Future Threats and Challenges: Is the world ready?’. We were really pleased with your responses, so much so that we have decided to share the prize between two submissions. *Drum roll please* The winners are:
Martin Crilly (@MartinCrilly) for their essay: Are we ready for the post-digital hyper-war?
Martin is a Modern War Studies MA student from the University of Buckingham.
Sundas Azeem for their essay: Future Threats and Challenges: Is the world ready?
Sundas is studying biotechnology at the University of Gujrat.
As well as thanking all who entered, we want to say a massive thank you to the University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Military Education based at RAF College Cranwell and RAF Halton, for sponsoring this competition. Thanks also must go to the brilliant Veronika Poniscjakova and Lucie Pebay for all of their hard work in organising it.
Below, we chatted to Martin about the study of war and advice for fellow Maters students...
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Congratulations, Martin!
- What are you studying and where?
I am studying MA in Modern War Studies at the University of Buckingham.
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- What got you into your field of study in the first place?
Having worked in the technology industry where change is agile, dramatic and rapid it is interesting to study a sector that is struggling to cope with its relevance in the contemporary world. Militaries around the world have handled massive sociological and technological changes over 100s even 1000s of years, yet today many militaries are straining to find their place in the digital and now post-digital era.
When you read and research the topic you find more and more that it is not about the equipment, doctrine or construct but it is all about the people in these organisations. The leadership of soldiers, sailors and airmen is how modern defence organisations will prevail, but that takes visionary leaders who can envision and articulate a military’s future utility for the state, not regale past histories. How will the military fight the global inter/intra-state sub-threshold competitions? A re-imagined military has been the vanguard of progress in many Revolutions in Military Affairs (RMA), but even these have had faced challenges from the traditionists of their days calling for more entrenchment and sticking to traditions. Change leadership is not easy, and especially for uniformed men & women steeped in traditions and struggling in current roles. As researchers, we need to not just equip, enable and empower these warriors to fight future wars, but to help them prevail in the battles inside the organisation.
- Do you have any advice for fellow Masters students?
Become deeper involved in the military world; Join the reserves, become a cadet instructor or just help out with any of the myriad of military charities. Whilst you may be able to find all of the data your need in Journals and books, you are missing the point. Defence is all about the richness of the culture, the stories and tales of valour and of the failures. This will reflect in the richness and depth of your writing. Defence research is not about Defense – it’s actually all about people.
- What are you currently reading and what do you think of it?
'Like War' by Singer and Brooking is my bedside table book, not just for academic study but for wider context-setting regarding the future battlespace. Whilst it is addictive reading, it is also a horror story of what is happening in real life. For a more upbeat read try some of the latest doctrine from DCDC: Army Leadership Doctrine I would make compulsory reading for every person in or connected with defence.
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Still looking for Christmas ideas?
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In case you have not done your Christmas shopping yet (this year has been quite hectic after all!) or would like to send Christmas card to your friends, there are a couple of sites we would recommend. These sites either support veterans or are run by veterans, so if you would like to support veterans and sort out your Christmas shopping *at the same time*, check them out.
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Blind Veterans UK
Blind Veterans UK provide high quality national support to blind veterans, as and where they need it, in order to help them achieve independence and fulfilment, transforming their lives.
You can order their Christmas cards from here.
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SSAFA
This Armed Forces charity exist sto relieve need, suffering and distress amongst the Armed Forces, veterans and their families in order to support their independence and dignity.
They have a range of Christmas cards and other gifts too, including clothes or jewellery.
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The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion helps members of the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, veterans and their families.
Thera are lots of items to choose from in the Poppy shop, including clothes, jewellery, or accessories such as face masks (which are going to be still quite handy in 2022!).
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ABF The Soldiers’ Charity
ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is the Army’s national charity for soldiers, past and present, and their families for life.
They offer a range of Christmas cards as well as some other gifts, including puzzles, mugs or hoodies.
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Hear from the DGS Gardening Heroes
The Defence Garden Scheme, the brainchild of DRN Committee member Sally Coulthard, is well on its way to achieving its goal of developing "a nationwide network of in-barracks and community gardens for military veterans, service leavers and their families." As we have discussed in previous editions of the newsletter, DGS was set up to provide evidence-based horticultural therapy to ex-service members and their families. The team uses gardening to support the physical, cognitive, educational, and social development of their participants, offering more focused support for those suffering from PTSD. The brilliant work of DGS has been recognised in the press, with a recent issue of Grow Your Own Fruit and Veg magazine featuring an interview with Matt Price about his gardening journey. Congratulations, DGS! You can download the full article here and here.
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The Strategic and Military Consequences of the End of the Cold War
13th - 14th December 2021
8.30am to 5pm both days (GMT)
Sciences Po, Paris and online
The Service Historique de la Défense, the Centre d’Histoire de Sciences Po, Paris, and the Sir Michael Howard Centre for the History of War, King’s College London, are organizing an international conference on the military and strategic impact of the end of the Cold War (late 1980s-early 1990s). It will take place at Sciences Po, Paris. Those who want to join the conference virtually can also register. For a full programme, follow this link.
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Dismantling the Apartheid of Our Time: the Palestinian Liberation Movement as an anti-racist struggle
13th December 2021
6pm - 7.30pm (GMT)
Online
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Hosted by LSE Human Rights and the Department of Sociology, this talk responds to an April 2021 report by Human Rights Watch which accused Israel of the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution. Despite building on decades of intellectual work and political advocacy of Palestinian scholars and organizations, the report diverges from those legacies in significant ways.
Chaired by Associate Professor Ayça Çubukçu, LSE Human Rights welcomes human rights attorney and Associate Professor Noura Erakat to explore Palestinian intellectual legacies that predate the HRW report, with a particular emphasis on the 1975 UNGA Resolution declaring Zionism as a Form of Racism and Racial Discrimination. The talk will consider an alternative trajectory of the Palestinian freedom struggle as one against racism. In so doing, it will highlight the outstanding controversies among those who agree that Israel oversees an apartheid regime and will also consider the implications of charging Israel with Apartheid at an international tribunal. For more information, click here.
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Have I Got Nukes for You: The UK PONI Christmas Quiz 2021
14th December 2021
4.30pm - 7pm (GMT)
Whitehall, London
Get ready to pull on those Christmas jumpers, because RUSI's UK Project on Nuclear Issues network is hosting a high-spirited, (hopefully) in-person evening of friendly competition and pub quiz fun! If you are interested in participating, you can register as an individual or send them the name of your team (up to four participants) by contacting UKPONI@rusi.org. As a precaution against COVID-19, a limited number of spaces will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Each member of the winning team will receive a 12-month RUSI online membership! For more information, click here.
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Policy for recovery in Africa: Regional development planning and coordination
15th December 2021
2pm - 3.30pm (GMT)
Online
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For this online research event, Chatham House is hosting Ambassador Mamman Nuhu to discuss the role of the Lake Chad Basin Commission in supporting regional resilience and cooperation on development planning and delivery. Panellists will then discuss the challenges facing transnational development in areas affected by conflict and insecurity, as well as reflecting on lessons learnt from across the continent on how cross-border development frameworks can be implemented.
This meeting is held as part of the Policy for Recovery in Africa series, in partnership with the UNDP, which brings together expert speakers and decision-makers to examine and exchange on key challenges, potential solutions, and approaches for implementation as African countries confront the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic. The series provides careful analysis and evidence-based policy solutions towards recovery and progress towards the SDGs and the AU's Agenda 2063. For more information and to register for this free event, follow this link.
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As always, keep an eye on our Twitter for new events and opportunities posted/retweeted every day!
Planning a future event?
If you are planning a defence-related event and you would like to reach an audience of like-minded researchers, we'd love to come along! Drop us an email and we can include it in our next newsletter.
If you are interested in any of our events but don't want to go alone, or simply want to expand your network, please reach out on Twitter or drop us an email and we can connect you with fellow DRN members who may be planning to attend.
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Opportunities...
If you would like to advertise any upcoming opportunities, please let us know via email.
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Job Opportunity: Post-doctoral research associate King’s Centre for Military Health Research
King's College London
Deadline for applications: 20th December 2021
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The Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London is looking for a full-time post-doctoral research associate to join the King’s Centre for Military Health Research to support the senior team primarily with quantitative data analyses across various projects and writing for scientific publication. This is an exciting opportunity to work in the area of occupational mental health, epidemiology, military health and statistical analyses. You will report to Dr Sharon Stevelink, a Senior Lecturer in the Department and a member of the King’s Centre for Military Health Research. For more information and to apply, click here.
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Funding Opportunity: NUAcT PhD Studentship, Critical Military Geographies
Newcastle University
Deadline for applications: 11th February 2022
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The School of Geography, Politics and Sociology at Newcastle University is inviting applications for a doctoral studentship for research in the area of critical military geographies. The successful candidate will be supervised by the brilliant DRN friend Dr Alice Cree and will join a vibrant research community at Newcastle with internationally recognised expertise in military and political geographies. Applicants are invited to propose a programme of study towards furthering geographical research in critical military studies. Potential themes might include:
- Everyday geographies of military violence/military power
- Gender and the military
- Feminist, participatory, and creative approaches to military research
- Military families/communities
- The military and the body
- Military legacies and [post]military futures
- Militarised affects
- Militarised subjects
- Everyday geographies of resistance
- Militaries and contemporary film, television, comedy, or theatre
For more information and to apply, follow this link.
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Funding Opportunity: AHRC SWW DTP Collaborative Doctoral Award Studentship for Sept 2022 entry – The Overseas Development Institute: From Decolonisation to Decolonising
University of Exeter, University of Southampton, Overseas Development Institute
Deadline for applications: 24th January 2022
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Funding is available for a collaborative doctoral studentship to conduct a critical reappraisal of the foundation, functioning, and impact of the Overseas Development Institute (ODI). The successful candidate will use the ODI as a case study to explore shifting ideas and practices of development, and the racialised structures of power underpinning it. Three core critical/conceptual research questions underpin this project:
- What is the relationship between decolonisation as a process and development as a practice/industry?
- What forms of knowledge have underpinned the evolution of development policy and practice, and how have these shaped the structures of power and forms of difference that undergird (and inhibit) global development?
- How can development organisations engage in the decolonizing of their practice?
This PhD will make a major contribution to decolonising structures of knowledge about development and the functioning of the development industry. It will be based across the History departments at the University of Southampton and University of Exeter and the ODI in London.
For more information and how to apply, follow this link.
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Fellowship Opportunity: Global Research Network
The Global Research Network is looking for submissions for a Junior Fellow Programme to co-lead a research group on War, Conflict & Global Migration. Applicants are required to have experience in academia and regional expertise from Global South. If you are interested in this opportunity, send your CV and a cover letter to regina.c@grn.global.
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Job Opportunity: Graduate Student Summer Associate Program
RAND's Summer Associate Program introduces outstanding graduate students to RAND, an institution that conducts research on a wide range of national security problems and domestic and international social policy issues. Although the summer 2022 application period for full consideration is now closed, RAND is still accepting applications as project needs allow. Run over 12 weeks in the summer, the Summer Associate Program will be remote and are open only to students residing in the US. For more information, check out their website.
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Call for Papers: Africa, what else? The Future of the Continent through New Investments, New Policies, and New International Relations with the World
Deadline for Submissions: 31st December 2021
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The International Team for the Study of Security Verona is inviting paper submissions for their first ever panel discussion on the future of Africa: new investments, new policies, and new international relations with the world. They hope to cover everything from climate change and renewable energies to investments in the domestic economy, education, culture, the role of the African Union, new economy projects, protection of cultural heritage, African external investments, IT and cybersecurity, new technologies, and new possible African institutions. However, this list is not exhaustive, and they are open to discussing ideas with potential candidates. To find out more about this and how to submit your paper, download their flyer here.
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Job Opportunities: Institute for Defence Analyses
Alexandria, Virginia, United States
For our US friends, the Institute for Defense Analyses is looking for two roles within its Strategy, Forces & Resources Division:
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Research Associate: Chemical, Biological, Radiological, & Nuclear Defense (CBRN) – Military Experience Required
This position will contribute to information gathering; modelling and simulation; data manipulation, analysis and presentation; and drafting of reports and briefings. At least four years of service as a commissioned officer and US citizenship are required for this role. To find out more and apply, follow this link. Deadline for applications: 30th December 2021.
Technical Editor
This position will provide substantive editorial support to the research staff and IDA Division management. Responsibilities include detailed editing and writing assistance on presentation materials, reports, papers, documents, and other publications. It may include assisting other Research Divisions in the editing and production of their publications. US citizenship is required for this role. To find out more and apply, follow this link. Deadline for applications: 4th January 2022
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The Marine Corps University Press (MCUP) is looking for submissions for a number of its publications:
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Journal of Advanced Military Studies
Spring 2022: Military Response to National Emergencies and Natural Disasters
Deadline for submissions: 1st January 2022
They are keen to read articles that address both contemporary and historical examples, including both foreign and domestic use of the military in emergency and disaster response scenarios.
Spring 2023: The Next Generation of Warfare
This issue intends to address elements discussed in Force Design 2030 and how the US and its allies can remain competitive whilst maintaining capabilities to counter state and non-state actors.
Submissions should be between 4,000 and 10,000 words, footnoted, and formatted according to the Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition).
On Contested Shores
MCUP is looking for proposals for their new volume of 'On Contested Shores: the evolving role of amphibious operations in the history of Warfare'. To read a review of the first volume of 'On Contested Shores', click here.
MCUP is also looking for book reviews on the respective areas: international studies, political science, and contemporary history.
Finally, MCUP is cultivating book chapters for a volume that aims to explore contemporary and historical examples of the diplomatic use of the world's militaries. The full call for submissions is available here and final submissions are due by the 29th of April 2022. Interested authors can submit their chapter concept by email by the 1st of March 2022.
For more information on any of these opportunities, contact MCU_Press@usmcu.edu.
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Call for Papers: Rethinking War Conference
18th and 19th March 2022
Deadline for applications: 15th January 2022
The 'Rethinking War' Virtual Interdisciplinary Conference seeks to re-evaluate and re-define the study of war, conflict, and military history by moving beyond familiar periodization and narratives, and by challenging traditional binaries of war/peace, veteran/civilian, home-front/battlefield, and digital/physical sites of war. The conference organisers are looking for papers that speak to varied and creative ways of understanding war, its effects and its aftermath. To submit your 250-word proposal, email rethinkingwar@gmail.com by the 15th January 2022.
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Call for Papers: Falklands 40: War Studies perspectives in the 21st century
3rd May 2022
Deadline for proposals: 28th January 2022
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The Department of War Studies and Laughton Unit for Naval History and Maritime Strategic Research is looking for papers to make up a conference marking forty years since the 1982 Falklands War. Due to be held online on the 3rd of May, 2022, the event is sponsored by the Corbett 100 project and forms part of events marking sixty years of the War Studies Department at King’s.
The conference organisers hope to bring together international scholars and researchers to present the latest research related to the Falklands War. They believe that only by studying the past can historical and contemporary questions and perspectives relevant to furthering knowledge on the Falklands War be explored.
They are inviting one-page paper proposals and abstracts of max 500 words on research related to the war and events of 1982 including its legacy, impact and influence into the 21st Century. To give you an idea of what they are expecting, here is an illustrative list of potential paper topics:
- War Studies and Defence Studies themes such as strategic studies, military and political history, science and technology.
- Issues of foreign policy, defence policy, intelligence, strategy, grand strategy, 'way of warfare', civilmilitary relations and defence organisation.
- History of the State, diplomacy and international relations.
- Perspectives on the war beyond Britain and Argentina.
- Naval and amphibious operations, maritime logistics, oceans, military doctrine, and defence strategy.
- The role and influence of navies and sea power after 1982 including the future of navies and military forces.
- Political, military leadership and veteran experiences and testimony, perspectives on 'lessons-learned', historical methodology and 'official histories'.
Proposals are due on the 28th of January, 2022. To find out more visit their website here, or download their call for papers directly here.
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Call for Contributions: Book Project, Military/Ex-service Personnel Life
DRN member Lee Yarwood-Ross has an exciting opportunity for a book project that he wanted to share with our network. If you are interested, make sure to get in contact using the details below:
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"Hello, my name is Dr Lee Yarwood-Ross and I am Lecturer and researcher in adult nursing at the University of Wolverhampton. I recently presented at the Royal College of Nursing International Research Conference around combat-related limb-loss, and was approached by Springer Publishing to write a book. My colleagues Dr Lauren Godier-McBard and Dr Hilary Engward and I are looking for contributors. Provisionally, the book will be an interdisciplinary one that explores the different perspectives surrounding military/ex-service personnel life e.g. trauma and transition. If you want to discuss further, please email me l.yarwood-ross@wlv.ac.uk"
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Call for Papers: The Journal of Aeronautical History
The Journal of Aeronautical History is looking for papers that speak to diverse and non-technical areas of aeronautical history, from scholars at all stages of their careers.
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As an internationally recognized, free-to-access, web-based, peer-reviewed publication of the Royal Aeronautical Society, the JAH covers all aspects of aerospace history and the development of aircraft and aeronautical engineering. The editors are particularly interested in hearing from PGRs, ECRs, and scholars researching non-technical aspects of aerospace history, whether that be the evolution of the science and engineering of flight, biographies of notable individuals, and/or civil and military organizational and operational histories. For more information visit their website, or e-mail publications@aerosociety.com, or Twitter @Cobraball3.
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Call for Contributors: Defence-In-Depth
The Defence-In-Depth blog is run by Kings College London and has recently featured a number of blogs from DRN members. Their content is well suited to the breadth of our network and they are keen to hear from you with contributions from a wide range of subject areas. To submit a piece or discuss your ideas, contact the editor at rod.thornton@kcl.ac.uk
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Supporting our community...
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Call for Participants: Education of Service Families
Gemma is looking for education staff who have worked with service families to participate in her PhD study. If you think you can help her, get in contact at ss13glc@leeds.ac.uk. Good luck, Gemma!
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Fundraising for PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide
The time is drawing near for the brilliant Gav Topley, a former co-chair of the DRN, to tackle Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for PAPYRUS, the national Charity for the Prevention of Young Suicide.
Suicide is the biggest killer of young people under the age of 35 in the UK, in 2018 over 1800 young people took their own lives. PAPYRUS provides confidential support and advice to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and anyone worried about a young person through their helpline, HOPELINEUK. We'd love it if you would donate to Gav's challenge here, and you can read about PAPYRUS' good work here.
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#DefResChat: Remembrance and Memorialisation
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See below our members’ contributions to this month’s #TwitterHour on ‘Remembrance and Memorialisation’.
Question 1: How do practices of remembrance and memorialisation differ around the world and over the years?
- I remember being struck by the difference between the German and Commonwealth 1WW cemeteries, graves in particular, on battlefield tours although I expect plenty of our followers could comment more insightfully on this @Herstory_Club @GreatWarGroup
- The #LightUpTheDawn for #AnzacDay was a successful way to commemorate during Covid lockdown
Question 2: How might the withdrawal from Afghanistan this year impact sentiments surrounding remembrance?
- I'm wondering if it affected veterans' wish to attend remembrance events in November?
- I think this article featuring @runningMDSrob gives a good insight into how many veterans might have been feeling around remembrance this year.
- I was out on Herrick 10 when we lost a huge amount of our personnel. That is not to mention those injured, is it a wasted war, does that change the way we think about the campaign? I think what has happened now changes the memories.
- Would you see this as moral injury? I think it could be in some cases. I wonder if the relatives of those who have died see their deaths as moral injury.
Question 3: How inclusive is remembrance? Who does it help and who is forgotten?
- It’s moving from stoic and subtle to something else entirely. I think its origins are very inclusive by their nature, but the shift towards lionising certain sub-groups (veterans, families, particularly nationalities of the dead) ends up eventually leaving other groups left out.
- Not terribly. Lots of 'never forget' & too little 'never again', with a shift in focus on military heroism & away from the wider cost of war. There is almost no focus on the civilian victims which aligns with a noticeably pro-military (as opposed to people) event.
- I increasingly find some of the performances of remembrance problematic, especially the focus on service people and veterans to the exclusion of victims of war. It feels to me to be moving away from the solemnity of the post WW1 'war to end all wars' sentiment. And added to this I think of what seems to be a limited role for service families in remembrance and the unequal commemoration of the war dead. Read more
- I don’t think families are included as much as they should be
- A little more inclusive this year than previously? Read more
- Not very … Kelly, J. (2020). A critical discourse analysis of military-related remembrance rhetoric in UK sport: Communicating consent for British militarism. Communication and Sport (C&S), N/A, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479520971776
Our final question of this month's #TwitterHour is... Share with us something thought-provoking about remembrance (whether it is an image, a poem, a blog, an academic article, a book)?
- I have a question raised by my PhD study. Do you think that for bereaved relatives, raising awareness of the dangers of asbestos in the name of deceased veterans could have a different dimension compared to civilians, because of the importance of remembrance in military culture?
- Liam Haven - ‘Talking to Myself’ from #Rock4RnR Rock for Reflection & Remembrance (released 11/11/2021). Access link
- From my perspective, absolutely; as this remembrance intersects with two conflicting military cultures - of information control (often for security), and performative ceremonial remembrance. Lots to think about...lots of comparable military exposures too (from CBRN to DDT!)
- I wanted to share a photo that I took of a small group of British nuclear test veterans commemorating their experiences, during the Grapple nuclear weapon tests on Kiritimati in 2018. Sixty years after the bombs were dropped - they still remember.
Thanks to all who contributed! Keep your eyes peeled on our website for all the info on the next #DefResChat, and don't forget to follow our Twitter.
You can also find all our previous #DefResChats on the Archive section of our website. Make sure to tag @DefenceResNet and hashtag #DefResChat to join the conversation.
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'In Conversation': Dr Lauren Godier-McBard
This month we had a chat with Dr Lauren Godier-McBard, Women and Equalities Research Lead and Research Fellow at the Veterans and Families Institute for Military Social Research at Anglia Ruskin University. Lauren's work focuses on the experiences and needs of women in military and ex-military communities. Keep reading to find out more about the exciting projects she is involved with, as well as her top tips for emerging academics...
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Hi Lauren!
What are you currently working on?
I am currently leading the Women & Equalities research programme for the Veterans and Families Institute for Military Social Research (VFI) at Anglia Ruskin University. We established this research programme following recognition that there is a significant lack of research in the UK focused on women’s experiences and needs in the military and ex-military communities. At the moment this involves leading a number of projects focused on the impact of military service on women (including currently serving women, women veterans and the female spouses/partners of service personnel).
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I am born and bred in Chelmsford, Essex, where one of the Anglia Ruskin University campuses is located. Being close to family and friends is important to me so I decided to take the opportunity to move closer to home and joined the VFI in 2015, straight from my PhD. And I haven’t looked back since!
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I began a project in November 2021 entitled ‘Meeting the needs of women veterans in mental health services’, which is a collaborative project with the NHS veteran mental health services at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, and the charity Salute Her UK. Funded by the National Institute for Health Research, this project will utilise a co-design approach to developing guidance and recommendations for better supporting women veterans in NHS mental health services. I was really keen that women veterans remained at the centre of this project throughout, and we have established an Experts-by-Experience group of women veterans who will work with us for the full 18 months of the project.
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Additionally, I am working with colleagues in our Criminology department to investigate the experiences of women who have reported sexual offences to the Service Justice System. Following the recommendation of the recent Lyons Review of the Service Justice System, to move rape trials from the military to civilian justice system, we are keen to understand the benefits and challenges associated with this recommendation. We have carried out an in-depth analysis of the processes and outcomes of these justice systems in regard to serious sexual offences, and will be beginning qualitative interviews with women veterans in early 2022.
I am also carrying out research looking at the experiences of military spouses and partners, in projects funded by the Military Wives Choir and the Naval Children’s Charity.
What was your path to where you are now?
Whilst my path into academia has been fairly traditional (i.e. undergraduate, to masters, to PhD, straight into a research post), my pathway into this particular field was not. I am often asked if I have a military connection and whether my doctoral research was focused in this area, the answer to both being no.
I’ve always had an interest in mental health and how we can best support and promote wellbeing. My background is in Psychology and Neuropsychology at Undergraduate and Masters level. I then specialised in Psychiatry (specifically looking at compulsive behaviours in Anorexia Nervosa) during my doctoral research at the University of Oxford, which I carried out between 2012-2015.
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What advice would you give PhD students and ECRs that you wish someone had said to you?
Learn to embrace feedback! Send your work to as many people from different disciplines and perspectives as possible. It took me a long time to feel comfortable sending ‘unfinished’ drafts for feedback and I would often feel disheartened by extensive feedback. As I’ve progressed, I have come to recognise how incredibly valuable other perspectives and feedback can be in improving my writing.
What are your top tips for getting published?
It’s really important to tailor the paper to the journal. If the journal is targeted towards healthcare professionals, make sure your paper makes recommendations for healthcare practice. If the journal is focused on a specific field, make sure you cite key papers and evidence from the field, specifically from the journal in question if possible.
Make a list of your desired journals, and don’t be disheartened if you get a rejection, there are plenty of other journals, and the initial feedback can be incredibly useful for improving the paper.
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Want to go back and read last month's 'In Conversation' interview? You can! We are cataloguing all of our In Conversation pieces separately on our website.
If you know someone interesting who would be willing to take part in our In Conversation series, please let us know via email.
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Something for your commute...
Although we may all be back to WFH in the near future, we are continuing to collate our podcast library with our fingers and toes crossed for the future of our commute.
This month, we are spotlighting the wonderful Graham Cable, a brilliant friend of the DRN and former British military officer. After obtaining his PhD, Graham has held various professional and voluntary academic roles, including membership of the (US) Veteran Studies Association Advisory Board and Vice Chair of the South East England Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee. Graham recently moved on from his role as a Research Fellow at the Forces in Mind Trust Research Centre at the Veterans and Families Insititute for Military and Social Research. He is currently working with the MOD on defence and training projects through his role leading learning for QA Ltd.
To hear more about Graham, his military-to-civilian journey, and his research on the role of education in this transition, listen to either (or both!) of these brilliant podcasts:
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Do you have a blog or publication you would like to promote? Don't hesitate to share it with us via email and we can add it to our newlsetter.
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Understanding the Impact of Social Research on the Military: Reflections and Critiques
Eyal Ben-Ari, Helena Carreiras & Celso Castro
This edited book evaluates the impact of social research on the military itself in terms of changing military policy, practices, knowledge, skills, behaviour, or living conditions. The chapters focus either on the theoretical and analytical issue or on the researchers’ lived experiences.
The book is composed of different chapters, and case studies include, for instance, Germany, Israel, Portugal and many other countries.
You can buy a copy here.
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The Conflict in Syria and the Failure of International Law to Protect People Globally: Mass Atrocities, Enforced Disappearances and Arbitrary Detentions
Jeremy Julian Sarkin
This book examines the failure of the United Nations and international law to halt conflict and massive human rights violations in many places around the world. It uses the conflict in Syria as the main example. The book mentions enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions in Syria, pointing out nothing has been done to deal with a rogue state that has regularly violated international law. It thus uses Syria to evaluate the weaknesses of the system and why reform is needed.
You can buy a copy here.
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Pause for thought...
"Whereas wearing the poppy is often portrayed as traditional and apolitical, taking the knee is perceived as new and ideological. In reality, both are what British historian Eric Hobsbawm has called invented traditions. They draw on longer legacies to imply continuity with the past, seeking to inculcate values and norms of behaviour through repetition."
Writing for the Conversation, Daniel Fitzpatrick discusses how football's rituals of military remembrance, symbolised by the poppy, and of taking the knee against racial injustice both represent public (and political) performances of collectivised grief. This performance, and the symbolic capital it generates, plays a large role in shaping the narrative of British national identity. In denying the politics of these acts, or "keeping politics out of football", we lose sight of the constitutive role they both play in defining "Britishness".
In a corresponding piece for the Journal of War & Culture Studies, Fitzpatrick explores the role of military remembrance in the reproduction of Britishness, and how football is used as a site of memory in this performance. The very different reactions to military remembrance and taking the knee are emblematic of the struggle to define and decolonise British collective identity in the 21st century.
What do you think? Let us know on Twitter!
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Thank you so much for joining our network.
Have you recently won an award, had your paper published, launched a book or are you organising an event? We want to hear from you! We are always looking for new content for our newsletter and would love to showcase the great work of our members.
For queries, more information, or just to tell us about yourself, don't hesitate to contact us on Twitter @DefenceResNet or at defenceresearchnetwork@gmail.com
The DRN team
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