Interested in all things defence? Take a peek inside our
Monthly Members' Newsletter
|
|
|
For new friends, welcome! We are an interdisciplinary network of Masters, PhD and Early Career Researchers focused on defence, security and military topics concerning 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. It is always worth remembering that we would be nothing without you! For our September newsletter we are looking into creative research dissemination. We have lots of different perspectives to share with you so we hope you enjoy the read.
Scroll down to get up to date with the news, opinions, events and opportunities from our members...
|
|
|
A reminder that if you have been forwarded our newsletter and are not already subscribed, you can sign up here.
|
|
|
|
Welcome to the Defence Research Network Newsletter!
This is a monthly theme very close to my heart as creativity, both as method and for dissemination, have been something I have increasingly embraced in my research. I only got into it because I made the mad decision to collaborate with my husband on a music video as a public engagement exercise in the middle of my PhD and have ever since got so much from such collaborations which have helped me to see things differently, whether my research or my own positionality. I hope we can inspire you with our theme this month and encourage you to give something new a try.
I am extremely grateful to Lucy Robinson and Veronika Poniscjakova for their hard work with this month's theme, for filling this newsletter which such a fantastic array of content and for arranging such a great live event on creative research dissemination. It has been great to hear from our DRN community too about all you have been doing along these lines and are delighted to share some of that here too.
I also wanted to say that whether you are just starting out on your Masters or PhD journey or are returning for another year of lecturing or research, good luck for the start of the new academic year. And from someone who is in the thick of this right now, solidarity with all those seeking the next step whether into, out of or onwards in academia - we wish you every success with whatever comes next.
Take care,
Hannah West
Chair of the Defence Research Network
|
|
|
In Conversation with Dr Alice Cree
Edited by Lucy Robinson
|
|
|
|
This month, we chatted to Dr Alice Cree, Newcastle University Academic Track (NUAcT) Research Fellow in the School of Geography, Politics & Sociology at Newcastle University.
1. Congratulations on your recent publication! Can you tell us a bit more about your new edited book, Creative Methods in Military Studies?
Thank you! The book emerged out of a workshop we held at Newcastle University in June 2019 on Creative Methods in Military Studies, where we spent a really inspiring day collectively thinking through what creativity might do for critical military research. The workshop was really brilliant, but I think we all felt like we were only just scratching the surface of this conversation – so, the edited book is really a way of trying to take that conversation forward. It’s not a methods manual or a ‘how-to’ book on creative methods, but rather a series of reflections from different artists and researchers working in critical military studies (and beyond), on what creative ways of doing and thinking can bring to our work. There’s chapters on theatre, dance, spoken work, model-making, paper-making, and more, but all the authors engage with the same kinds of questions around positionality, ethics, being “critical”, and what “creativity” really means in military research. My hope for the book is that it will inspire people to think in new, more imaginative ways about their own work.
2. Do you have any advice for members of our community who might wish to contribute to an edited book in the future?
Be bold! I think book chapters can be really good places for more creative, experimental, and forward thinking work that might not fit so well into a standard journal article. So don’t be afraid to use your critical voice to say something new! Also, from an editor’s perspective… try to stick to chapter draft deadlines, if you possibly can. But don’t be afraid to ask questions, or for more editorial support. That is what editors are there for!
3. What direction do you think the field will take in the future?
Sorry to be extremely on-brand with my answer to this, but in my view research methods should be one of the main concerns for researchers in this area going forward, and as we approach the 10th anniversary of the Critical Military Studies journal. There is so much about military power that we struggle to approach and account for using more traditional methods. For example, how can we think about military power as affective, contingent, and embodied? How can it be resisted? I think more innovative and creative ways of doing research can help us get closer to answering these questions. In broader terms though, I think in the future CMS is going to engage much more with the non-human and with all things “cyber”, reflecting the changing role of global militaries and new terrains on which future wars might be fought.
4. Do you have any current or upcoming projects related to creative methods and/or creative research dissemination?
There’s a few things in the pipeline! We are hoping to make a film out of our research-based play ‘Magnolia Walls’, which is about the experiences of military spouses and how military conflict comes into the home. The idea would be to take the film into schools, and use it as a teaching tool to explore issues around trauma, racism, and domestic violence. I’ve also recently submitted a grant application with Hannah West, Nick Caddick, and the Imperial War Museum for a large participatory arts-based project about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars… but we will have to wait and see about that one!
5. Can you recommend any further reading for those interested in creative methods and/or creative research dissemination?
For anyone interested in theatre-as-method, I would definitely recommend Ruth Raynor’s work. Ruth’s background is in geography, with specific expertise in austerity and social geography, but these are great papers for thinking about what theatre can do in social and political science:
Raynor R. (De)composing Habit in Theatre-as-Method. Geohumanities 2017, 3(1), 108-121.
Raynor R. Dramatising austerity: holding a story together (and why it falls apart...). Cultural Geographies 2017, 24(2), 193-212.
Raynor R. Speaking, feeling, mattering: Theatre as method and model for practice-based, collaborative, research. Progress in Human Geography 2019, 43(4), 691-710.
In general, I would always suggest looking at the work of Geographers over the last 10-15 years for great examples of creative research and dissemination (e.g. Harriet Hawkins, Amanda Rogers, Michael Richardson, Jen Bagelman, Caleb Johnson, Geraldine Pratt, and many others). Geographers do creative research better than anyone else, in my opinion!
|
|
|
In Conversation with Bea Kingdon
Edited by Lucy Robinson
|
|
|
|
We also chatted to Bea Kingdon, Doctoral Community Coordinator, who leads the organisation of the Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium (DSDS) at Cranfield University.
1. Can you tell us a bit more about the Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium?
DSDS is an annual 1.5-day national conference dedicated to research students and early career researchers, working in all aspects of defence and security. It is a free event, providing a platform to network and showcase research through a series of competitions; Papers, Posters, 3MT, Digital Posters and Art Installation. The event is co-sponsored by Cranfield University, AWE and Dstl and keynote speakers are invited from within the defence industry and MOD. The networking opportunities are further enhanced with a enjoyable subsidised 3-course evening meal.
2. We love that the symposium offers students and ECRs creative research dissemination opportunities such as 3MT (3 minute thesis), posters, digital images and 3D installations. Why did the symposium decide to include these?
Everyone shines in a different way, and DSDS is designed to allow individuals to choose a platform that is optimised to suit them best. The 3 main traditional categories of papers, posters and 3MT, are judged by a panel drawn up from academia and industrial sponsors. The remaining categories are a people’s choice and allows for an open and more creative approach to explain one’s research.
3. What would you say are the benefits to students who decide to engage with these creative options for the symposium?
The atmosphere at DSDS is incredibly relaxing and encouraging. Many conferences are subject specific oriented. However, the whole concept behind DSDS is to put the students and ECRs first, and not the established leading academics. DSDS enables students from a broad and diverse research background a chance to relax and have some real fun explaining their research. Having the freedom to be creative with your topic to a room full of supportive peers, will hopefully ignite and enhance a lifelong passion for research.
4. What advice would you give to our community if they are interested in applying to the symposium next year?
DSDS is unique in that the whole event is centred around you. Registration is free for you and your supervisor. You do not have to enter any of the competition categories, but if you do, you have a chance of winning some prize money as well. Conference papers and posters can be cited, new friendships can be forged with fellow researchers from other universities, and these in turn can lead to future collaborative work.
5. Can you share some examples of creative entries from previous conferences?
Some of the past creative art installations entries have involved mannequins in suitcases, light/sound reactive objects, a giant papier-mâché of a molar, a huge MDF board in which you can move and track objects around a map of the world. ‘Creativity’ on the digital posters should allow complete freedom to use your imagination to represent a research topic… However, I feel that this category has yet to light a truly creative spark and find its champion, so maybe it will take a member of the DRN to do so!
As the deadline for submission for this year has passed, why not attend this year (8th-9th November) and look ahead to applying for the following year!
|
|
|
Creative research dissemination from our committee
Edited by Lucy Robinson
|
|
|
Below, members from our committee reflect on the different ways they have creatively shared their research.
Veronika on 'PubhD: Presenting Your PhD in a Pub'.
Back in 2018, when I was in the third year of my PhD, I took part in PubhD.
Before I share my own experience doing PubhD, I will explain how PubhD works. First of all, the PubhD as an idea was coined in Nottingham in 2014, and has since spread to other cities as well. PubhD has a very interesting premise, it is about presenting your PhD to a non-academic audience, well, in a pub! At the actual event, there are usually three PhD students from any academic discipline. They do a short 10-minute presentation (no PowerPoint!), and then there’s a Q&A. In exchange for doing the presentations, the presenters then get a couple of drinks for free.
My very good friend, a fellow PhD student at the time, signed up to do PubhD, and I first came along as a moral support, but given how much I enjoyed it, I then signed up myself.
What I really liked about doing PubhD was that I could present my research to a non-academic audience. What I have always found mildly frustrating about academia is that we write articles/present at conferences/etc. just for each other - for fellow academics - and exclude the general public. We often communicate our research in a way that is not easily accessible to others (hi 👋, paywalls!), we use language and jargon that is not easily comprehensible, and we refer to literature that often no one but the author/speaker has ever heard of. In my view, academia should be about spreading knowledge to anyone and everyone who is interested. This is what I loved about PubhD – people showed up because they genuinely wanted to find out more about different topics, and different research.
On the day I presented, there were two other presentations, one about dubbing sci-fi films and the other one about yeast cell variation in beer fermentation. So combined with my own PhD on political violence, there was a truly random mix of topics! But the audience seemed truly interested in what we were saying and asked some really insightful questions (and honestly, they were much nicer than most academics at any conference!).
I believe I learned a lot from this experience even though I do not think I did a particularly good job back then, to be honest! When I was doing my PhD, I always used to write scripts for my talks, presentations, etc. As such, I was able to find the one I wrote for the PubhD event. Now I can see that even though, for the most part, I used the right language and did not get deep into any complicated theories, I referred to certain events that I am sure no one in the pub (including my friends who were doing PhDs themselves) had ever heard of, only people in my very niche research area would have. So I think always bearing in mind who the intended audience is, and not assuming any prior knowledge, is really useful when preparing presentations.
|
|
|
Hannah on her experiences of disseminating research via theatre.
|
|
|
Hannah worked as a Research Associate at the Newcastle University on the Economic and Social Research Council funded project, ‘Conflict, Intimacy and Military Wives: A Lively Geopolitics’ led by Dr Alice Cree. This project was in collaboration with Workie Ticket Theatre Company, a North-East based feminist theatre organisation.
We used theatre to explore ‘military conflict’ not only as something that happens in far away battlefield sites, but as something that continues to play out at home.
We wanted to know… How does military participation affect families and intimate relationships? What are the different shapes that ‘conflict’ can take in the context of military families/relationships? What are the stories that spouses, partners, and ex partners of military personnel would like to tell about their own lives and experiences? How can theatre help military partners to tell their stories?
The project sought to shape public debate on the spaces and consequences of 'war' through a co-produced theatre performance, ‘Magnolia Walls’, and to help shape Ministry of Defence provision of support for military families.
In producing a play as a form of research dissemination, we were able to engage new public audiences using humour, music, fun and creativity to address serious, complex, nuanced and challenging subject matter. We were able to bring the lived experiences of military partners to live in an immersive way that was able to share the diversity of military partner's experiences through a narrative centred on two characters. We were blown away by the audience feedback and the conversations the play started.
You can read more about this project in Dr Alice Cree's recent edited book, Creative Methods in Military Studies and via the project website (click on the image above to link to the website) where you can read more about other forms of creative research dissemination as well as access the findings report.
|
|
|
Baris on his experiences of disseminating research via podcasts.
|
|
|
Podcasts are novel and effective ways to disseminate research with a broad and diverse audience. Recently, I produced a two-episode podcast series on Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The key questions covered in the podcast are:
- Why do Western countries' responses to Russia come short of stopping the war in Ukraine?
- How has the UK, a leading country in response to Russia, fared so far in the conflict?
- Are there any forms of international cooperation that are more likely to stop the war?
- What do non-Western countries think of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?
- What kinds of warfare methods does Russia use in Ukraine?
In the podcast, I also interviewed Professor Richard Whitman, Greg Stiles, and Gabriel Evans on these questions.
My podcast series was part of a public engagement campaign run by the University of Sheffield, known as Pop-Up University. This campaign aims to make the research accessible to non-experts and in this way bridge the gap between academia and the wider public, even to those with little background in the field. During the production phase, I worked with a local podcast producer who guided me through how to make the podcast more engaging and conversational, as well as on how to develop my storytelling techniques, and how to use real-life examples to make them relatable and understandable to my research. One of the key learning points for me was the importance to express my passion for my research through humanising the topic, making it more relatable to the listeners.
Being involved in the world of podcasting as an early career researcher allowed me to disseminate my research in a more accessible way compared to academic journals, which may be locked behind paywalls. In contrast, I was able to publish my podcasts freely to anyone with an internet connection. My recent podcast is already reaching to a vast and diverse audience. It can be accessed through various platforms and devices, from smartphones and tablets to desktop computers and smart speakers. This wide distribution network enhances the reach of my research beyond the academic circles. My podcast series are also inclusive. The feedback I received highlighted that the podcast made my research more digestible for auditory learners who prefer listening over reading lengthy articles.
I highly recommend using podcasts as an alternative way to disseminate research. They are effective tools to spark discussions, inspire new research questions, and encourage collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and enthusiasts from different backgrounds and locations.
|
|
|
Lucy on her recent interactive presentation at the International Creative Research Methods Conference.
|
|
This month, I attended and presented at the inaugural International Creative Research Methods Conference (ICRMC). The conference, the brainchild of Dr Helen Kara, was the first of its kind to celebrate creative research methods in all their wonderful and diverse forms.
For my presentation, I wanted to do something different from the usual format of academic presentations which typically involve the speaker reading, or speaking from a PowerPoint for a set period of time. Therefore, within my hour long presentation, I included three interactive audience activities, linked to the three sub-topics I was presenting about. I gave the audience around five minutes to complete the activity before offering the floor to anyone who wished to share their responses for a further five minutes. By doing these activities, I felt the audience remained really engaged and they were also able to have more 'take aways' from my presentation having heard my experiences and reflections and those of the wider audience.
Whilst the conference was the perfect setting to present in an alternative format, I'd encourage others to think about how they could tweak any future presentations they may give to include one activity which has a bit of audience engagement. It doesn't have to be anything complicated - just an activity that gives the audience a break from listening and something different to do!
|
|
|
This month, committee members from the DRN also held an online peer-to-peer event on creative research dissemination. Thank you to all those who attended!
|
|
|
News from our committee
Edited by Lucy Robinson
|
|
|
|
Over the summer, our committee have been busy writing! We're delighted to share the recent publications of Veronika, Robb and Scott.
|
|
|
Veronika has also continued to offer her expertise to TVP WORLD. See here and here!
|
|
|
One of our committee members recently attended the Academy of International Affairs NRW Summer Academy: Outer Space Affairs - A critical key domain of international politics. Tegan has shared a short reflection of her experience.
|
|
|
In August I had the wonderful opportunity to take part in the 2023 summer academy hosted by the AIA in Bonn, Germany with the theme of this year the subject of my own PhD: Outer Space (security)! The academy lasted five days and was attended by a diverse collective of researchers, academics, diplomats and practitioners all offering their own insightful perspectives on the challenges facing outer space politics and global governance. I presented some of my own research and enjoyed the helpful comments and feedback. Comprised of workshops, general discussion as well as a field trip the DLR German Aerospace Centre, it was a jam-packed and exciting schedule! I learnt so much and am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to participate.
For more information about the Academy, their fellowship programme and future events, click here and here!
|
|
|
Hannah recently attended the European International Studies Association Conference in Potsdam, Germany and has compiled the following reflection on the conference alongside fellow attendees, Hannah and Luise.
Here are some thoughts from Hannah West, our Chair, and here she is presenting ...
|
|
|
It was my second time going to EISA and although I had really enjoyed the first, I must admit to feeling like I had a bit of a lot on my plate to be going, it was the middle of a heatwave across Europe (and it was the children's first week back at school). So I didn't entirely enter into it with complete enthusiasm as I set off but I began to realise the power of a change of scenes generally and more specifically the professional stimulation that comes from connecting with new people, hearing about new work and having the opportunity to share some work too. I played a more sensible game than I have done at some similar conferences in terms of the programme and I selected a few panels I felt were most relevant to me and focussed on getting the most from them rather than slogging out full days every day. This gave me the opportunity to catch up with people and take stock as well as not coming back quite so exhausted as I might have been. I felt bad for not having a full paper to share with the panel, having had to prepare only a presentation on this occasion but sometimes this is what you have to do when the conference comes at a pinch point for other commitments, and do you know what, the world did not collapse. I still prefer to submit a draft paper as it is such a useful opportunity to get feedback but it is not always possible and people understand that. Potsdam was really nice and I was proud of my navigating a German swimming pool several times without ending up in the wrong changing room or lane (without any German). One of the most intangible but helpful experiences was dining with other academics I didnt know and hearing everyone sharing their experience of the early career job market which was reassuring in feeling like you are not alone. I thoroughly recommend considering EISA if you haven't been before.
|
|
|
Hannah Richards (@h_k_richards), a PhD student at Cardiff University, shares the following reflection....
This was my second time at EISA and it was so much fun, I find it a really friendly conference and you are spoilt for choice with the amount of fascinating research being presented. There were a couple of standout panels for me; one examined bodies and affect in contemporary warfare and the other explored the relationship between war and fun. For me, the papers on these panels really captured the amazing breadth of research that is taking place in and around the study of war. My paper was accepted onto a panel that focussed on military organisations and narratives and I spoke about one of my thesis chapters that looks at intimacy and the British military courts. Although I felt much more relaxed this year, I was still a bit nervous to present a very rough work in progress that dealt with some quite tough themes. That said, my discussant, the other panellists, and audience members provided really useful and productive comments and were very generous with their time. There was also some really interesting discussion after the presentations in which we talked about our hopes for and assessments of the future of the field of Critical Military Studies. If I had one tip for anyone going to EISA for the first time it would be that you don’t need to go to absolutely everything, no matter how tempting it sounds! For my first EISA, I tried to go to as many panels and events as possible and I came home absolutely exhausted (not ideal for the start of a new academic year!). It is a long, busy conference and you need to make sure that you are taking some time out to actually process the many generative and exciting ideas that you are encountering.
|
|
|
Luise Bendfeldt (@BendfeldtLuise), a PhD student at Upsala University, shares her thoughts on the experience....
This was my first EISA and I really enjoyed it! I presented a paper on narratives around incels in Sweden and how these reiterate a Swedish national exceptionalism based on gender and progressiveness.While this was not part of the CMS section, I attended several CMS panels and roundtables - with interesting discussions around the experiences of living, studying and teaching war! Beyond getting a chance to hear about fascinating research, I really enjoyed EISA for the people: I loved getting a chance to connect with new and old friends and to have inspiring conversations. The social aspect of conferencing always reaffirms to me that there is a great community of CMS scholars out there and I count myself incredibly lucky that I get to work with and learn from them. My tip for those going to EISA for the first time would be to know that people are welcoming and happy to get to know you. It is very easy to connect and the stakes are low - there will always be a friendly face who is happy to grab coffee or ice cream with you after / in between panels!
|
|
|
Rupak, one of our newest committee members, attended the RUSI PONI 2023 Annual Conference. Below, she shares her reflections on the experience.
|
|
|
On 12th September I got the opportunity to be attend and be part of the RUSI UK project for nuclear issues in London. The annual conference this year focused on the next generation perspective on nuclear issues and different presentation from different areas was presented by panelist.
Starting with the panel one which focused on AUKUS partnership in the New Nuclear Age, three panelists talked about AUKUS prints and what are the advance capabilities and what are the implications with the AUKUS including what AUKUS can do for non-proliferation. Throughout the conference there were three other different themes ‘Continuity and change in the UK’s Approach to deterrence’, ‘Nuclear security and non- proliferation in a new era for nuclear energy’ and ‘Deciphering Chinese nuclear thinking’ were discussed by panellist with their wonderful and insightful presentations which dig deeper into the issues in nuclear world and also UK’s contribution and potential in risk reduction and disarmament.
Since my interest mainly lies in cyber security, this conference gave me different perspective and one of the presentations also talked about cyber nuclear nexus and how there is major threat to deter cyber attack in a nuclear facility or nuclear system, solutions like cyber resilience where the system remain functioning under stress was discussed.
The highlight of the conference was to listen to special speaker Rose Gottemoeller who is Steven C. Házy Lecturer at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and its Centre for International Security and Cooperation and Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, she has previously also worked as Deputy Secretary General of NATO from 2016 to 2019. In this conversation she delivered with Dr Matthew Harries, Director of Proliferation and Nuclear Policy, RUSI, emphasized about disappearing nuclear discipline, Russia’s political stance and leadership and how unilateral efforts is important for global or multilateral arms control. Overall, it was wonderful experience to talk to other academicians and researchers and have conversation on upcoming topics and nuclear issues and make connections in academic world.
|
|
|
Features
Edited by Tegan Harrison
|
|
|
|
Materialising the Cold War
The Cold War was about dreams and nightmares: dreams for a better world and a better way of life, and nightmares of catastrophic destruction. It was a global conflict that began in the wake of the Second World War and ended with the peaceful revolutions in 1989/90 and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The Cold War was fought as a contest over a way of life as much as it was an armed confrontation. The Cold War combined the ideological contest between capitalist liberal democracies and communist dictatorships with unprecedented levels of armaments and military conflicts worldwide. As such, the Cold War had a significant impact on society and culture.
Materialising the Cold War is a partnership between National Museums Scotland and the University of Stirling that will explore how the Cold War, its global experience and its heritage are described in museums and how museums can adapt to tell this story in future.
We examine three aspects of how ideas and emotions from the Cold War have been materialised: first, in the ways they have been collected; second, how they have been interpreted in museums and special exhibitions; and third, in the ways that museum audiences have consumed the Cold War.
We have so far conducted more than100 interviews with curators and museum visitors and have conducted display and exhibition analyses in around 10 museums in the UK and elsewhere.
We are in the process of creating a new, path-breaking special exhibition at NMS on the basis of our findings. The exhibition will open at National Museums Scotland in July 2024.
Funded by a major grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (Project Reference: AH/V001078/1), our three-year project will leave a legacy of ideas and practices developed through academic research, events, a schools programme, a major exhibition and publications.
We have worked with the Imperial War Museum, RAF Museum (at Hendon and Cosford), the Norwegian Aviation Museum in Bodø, and the Allied Museum in Berlin.
We would love to hear from anyone with an interest in this topic, be it current and former armed services personnel with experiences or memories of the Cold War, curators, academics, or museum visitors.
Introductory publication
SJMM Alberti and Holger Nehring, ‘The Cold War in European museums – filling the “empty battlefield”’, International Journal of Heritage Studies, 28:2 (2022), 180-199, DOI: 10.1080/1352725 (open access) - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13527258.2021.1954054
The project team
- Dr Sam Alberti, Director of Collections, National Museums Scotland (s.alberti@nms.ac.uk), Principal Investigator.
- Professor Holger Nehring, Chair in Contemporary European History, University of Stirling (holger.nehring@stir.ac.uk), Co-Investigator.
- Dr Jessica Douthwaite, Research Fellow, University of Stirling (jessica.douthwaite@stir.ac.uk) (on leave until May 2024).
- Dr Jim Gledhill, Research Fellow, National Museums Scotland (j.gledhill@nms.ac.uk).
- Linden Williamson, Project Administrator, National Museums Scotland (l.williamson@nms.ac.uk).
Resources and more information, including blogs and virtual exhibitions:
Short films on Scotland and the Cold War:
|
|
|
What we have been listening to
Edited by Veronika Poniscjakova
|
|
|
|
Do get in touch if you have heard a fascinating podcast or you have been involved in one, we'd love to include it in a future newsletter.
|
|
|
|
September Twitter Hour: 'Creative Research Dissemination'
Edited by Lucy Robinson
|
|
|
September's #TwitterHour on the theme of 'creative research dissemination' happened on Wednesday 20th September. Thank you very much to all who took part by sharing their answers to the four questions. #DefResChat
Q1: How would you define 'creative research dissemination' ?
- I would say that it includes anything that is not a journal article, a book, a research report, etc. (basically something more "traditional")
- To me, a key part of it is about facilitating the engagement of non-research audiences, such as the wider public, policymakers and relevant industries.
Q2: How have you, or how do you plan to, disseminate your research in a creative way?
- I recently presented at the inaugural #ICRMC using an interactive presentation format. You can read more about my reflections on taking this approach in the upcoming newsletter!
- I've pursued several avenues, for instance - PubhD (present your PhD in a pub! You can check it out here - http://pubhd.org); I also organised a Three Minute Thesis competition (even though I did not participate in it myself) and more recently, I've done some TV interviews.
- Where possible, make the most of the relevant teams at your institution. For example, many universities in the UK have research engagement staff with connections to local radio stations, news outlets, industry partners etc. They can help academics reach out to wider audiences.
Q3: What examples of creative research dissemination have you particularly liked and why?
Q4: Do you have any readings you'd recommend to our community to find out more about creative research dissemination?
|
|
|
What we're reading
Edited by Veronika Poniscjakova
|
|
|
|
Syria Divided: Patterns of Violence in a Complex Civil War
Ora Szekely
This new book sheds light on the ongoing civil war in Syria. It explains the complexities of this conflict, including who the combatants are, where they come from, and what they fight for. The book suggests that these combatants, with competing motivations, try to control the narrative, and weaponize social media, and ultimately, they treat warfare as a kind of performance. The book is based on in-depth interviews, analysis of conflict data, and propaganda distributed through social media, and it really offers new perspectives on the performative aspects of violence.
You can get a copy here.
|
|
Routledge Handbook of Transnational Terrorism
Nicolas Stockhammer
This new edited book on phenomena and trends in transnational terrorism seeks to examine what potential future variants of transnational terrorism may evolve. The chapters focus on the latest structural developments in politically or religiously motivated violence, and they cover a wide range of issues, including for instance technology and radicalisation, right-wing terrorism, Islamist terrorism, counter-terrorism, and many others.
You can get a copy here.
|
|
|
Events...
Edited by Lucy Robinson
|
|
|
|
Click on the images below to find out more about these upcoming events.
|
|
Opportunities...
If you would like to advertise any upcoming opportunities, please let us know via email.
Edited by Lucy Robinson
|
|
|
|
Click on the images below to find out more about these opportunities.
|
|
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.
|
|
|
We hope you've enjoyed our news, tips and recommendations so far. In case you missed our previous newsletter editions, check out our archive section here!
As usual, we will be looking to showcase some early-career researchers in research spotlights in the newsletter so don't be shy! And we welcome any suggestions for 'in conversation with' pieces with more established academics. And let us know about any relevant events, from book launches to webinars. We'll keep an eye on our Twitter account to keep you posted!
Keep an eye on @DefenceResNet for more information and check out the website for a preview of the questions for the next #DefResChat. 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.
See you soon and many thanks for being part of our network!
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
