July's research roundup looks at academic activities within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS), spanning disciplines from archaeology and history to sociology and criminology.
A fascinating exhibition showcasing the excellent research carried out at the University of Winchester was on display at the Winchester Discovery Centre throughout the month of June. First seen in 2017 as an on-campus exhibition, the 2018 edition of Images of Research was situated in the heart of the local community. The work of academics and research students from the Faculty featured prominently, from modern-day animal welfare to prehistoric human welfare, and from women in ancient Egypt to medieval queens. Animal welfare, history and archaeology are among the Faculty's major research strengths.
Find out more about the Images of Research exhibition
June saw the launch of Youth Movements, Citizenship and the English Countryside: Creating Good Citizens, 1930-1960 by Dr Sian Edward. The book, which is the new addition to the Palgrave series Studies in the History of Social Movements, explores the role and significance of the countryside in mid-20th-century youth movements. It looks at the way in which a rural setting was used for the development of 'good citizenship', through such activities as wholesome outdoor recreation and work on the land. Dr Edwards also looks at how these models of good citizenship were intrinsically gendered, highlighting tensions between domesticity, citizenship, gender and class in a rapidly changing world. Dr Edwards is currently investigating the modern rural teenager.
Find out more about modern history research at Winchester
Historian Dr Simon Sandall and Criminologist Dr Matt Clement have joined forces to create a new journal dedicated to their mutual research interest: the history, politics and social aspects of riot, rebellion and protest. This groundbreaking online journal will provide a platform for academics and other professionals to debate issues around riot and protest from a wide range of perspectives through blogs and peer-reviewed articles. The first issue is published in July and the journal will be formally launched at major criminology and history conferences over the summer.
Find out more and read issue 1 of the Journal of Riot and Protest Studies
On 30 June Dr Timothy Secret , Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, chaired a panel discussion at Tate Britain. Focussing on artistic expression and creative experimentation in the years immediately after 1918, the panel explored the parallels between the growth and evolution of psychiatry in Britain after World War I, and the impact of trauma and loss on art and culture across generations. Dr Secret, who has been awarded the title New Generation Thinker by the BBC and the Arts and Humanities Research Council, was recently also part of the discussion panel at Tate Britain, alongside a historian and an artist, for the event What Makes Us Human, which explored the concept of the gaze within the visual arts.
Sociologist Dr Ritsuko Ozaki has been awarded funding for a research project exploring infrastructural pathways to sustainable lifestyles. Drawing on the sociology of innovation, the project investigates how innovative infrastructures in cities can facilitate more sustainable lifestyles. It has a particular focus on transport and mobility and is currently studying transport infrastructures based on hydrogen energy. "We aim to identify the latest trends in hydrogen strategies," explained Dr Ozaki, "and to gain new insights into ways in which people may choose to reduce environmental impacts in the area of mobility." Find out more about the project.
Dr Phil Marter is the archaeological consultant for a new TV series currently being filmed for the History Channel. The 8-part series WW2 Treasure Hunters, presented by Madness frontman Suggs and World War 2 expert Stephen Taylor, will excavate former military sites across the UK in order to reveal the fascinating stories and people behind the finds. Dr Marter, an expert in the archaeology of both World Wars, recently also filmed on Magdalen (or Morn) Hill on the outskirts of Winchester, the site of the WW1 Morn Hill Military Camp, for the programme WW1 Treasure Hunters. The shows are due to be aired later this year. Find out more about WW2 Treasure Hunters
Find out more about our research at Magdalen Hill, Winchester
In peacebuilding and conflict situations, religious and cultural factors are often part of both the problem and the solution. Organised by the University's high-impact Centre of Religion, Reconciliation and Peace, the international conference Religion and Culture in Conflict and Peace, which took place on 20 and 21 June, provided a unique opportunity to stimulate critical investigation of all aspects of religion and culture in conflict and peacebuilding. From the role of religious diplomacy in countering extremism to feminist theology in post-conflict societies and from Nigeria to Nagorno-Karabakh, academics and practitioners addressed some of the most complex and pressing challenges we face across the world today. Find out more about the conference.
On 25 June, Director and former Labour MP Professor John Denham was invited by the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow MP, to address the Speaker's House on the results of the recent YouGov survey for the BBC on English identity. The survey, in which Professor Denham was instrumental, highlighted the importance of recognising 'English' identity as strongly held and the most widely shared. The Centre for English Identity and Politics is part of the Faculty's Department of Politics and Society.
Read an edited version of Professor Denham's speech
Watch the full speech on BBC iPlayer (available until end of August)
Read the BBC article
Find out more about the Centre for English Identity and Politics
21 July Join Tony King , Professor of Roman Archaeology, for the Meonstoke Excavation Open Day. From 10.30 to 15.30, with talks at 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm. Find out more about the Meonstoke Project.
22 July Archaeological visualisation past and present, a talk by archaeologist Nathalie Barrett as part of Salisbury Museum's Festival of Archaeology. Find out more.
29/30 Aug Early Tudor Court Culture Conference. Find out more and book your place. Part of the Kingship, Court and Society Project.
12 Sept Faculty Historians Dr Katherine Weikert , Professor Emeritus Barbara Yorke and Dr Ryan Lavelle (pictured below right with Michael Wood), join forces with historian and broadcaster Michael Wood at the Winchester Discovery Centre for The Legacy of Alfred - The Anglo-Saxons and the Birth of England at 7.30pm, £12.50. Tickets available from Winchester Discovery Centre by calling 01962 873603 or online.
13-16 Sept Winchester Heritage Open Days, featuring free talks, guided walks and tours by many of our academics as well as PhD students. Find out more.
19 Sept The Past and Future of Labour England, a workshop co-hosted by the Centre for English Identity and Politics. Find out more.
5-7 Oct The BBC History Weekend will be returning to Winchester for its third year, with a packed programme featuring many of our historians, as well as PhD students. Alongside the main programme, the Winchester History Fringe sees our history academics host free 15-minute talks. Find out more and book your tickets.
20 Oct Our medieval experts will be among the speakers at the high-profile Winchester Early Medieval Power and Faith Symposium, a one-day event co-organised with the Hampshire Cultural Trust exploring the great churches of Anglo-Saxon and Norman Winchester. Find out more and book your place.
Research in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is driven by passionate inquiry into what makes us human. HSS is a highly research-active faculty, attracting significant external research funding and boasting the largest number of research students in the University. It is home to a diverse but related set of subject areas:
To find out more about what we do and the opportunities we offer, visit www.winchester.ac.uk/humanitiesandsocialsciences. To find out more about our research, visit www.winchester.ac.uk/research
Back to media centre