Postgraduate Training Workshop 'Tracing Lives Beyond Borders'

On Friday 13 May 2016 the Histories of Activism PGR Workshop ‘Tracing Lives Beyond Borders’ took place at Northumbria University. The diverse programme was curated and organised by PhD researchers Jasmine Calver, Lara Green, and Sophie Roberts, kindly assisted by Dr Daniel Laqua. This workshop was the latest in a series of postgraduate-led events hosted by the Histories of Activism group and brought together postgraduate and academics from around the region and beyond to hear examples of exciting new research in the field and reflect on their own research practice. 33 participants and speakers attended (22 postgraduates from four institutions and 11 academic staff from five institutions) and the day offered the opportunity for postgraduates to expand their scholarly networks and to broaden their perspective.

The day began with ‘spotlights’ from Histories of Activism postgraduates Lara Green, Jasmine Calver, and Sophie Roberts based on their own research. The subjects of their short talks were Sergei Stepniak, Gabrielle Duchênne, and Peggy Duff, and the speakers gave interesting insights into how these individuals led lives that crossed borders but their work also had great transnational impact on political, social, and cultural movements.

Next, participants heard from Charlotte Alston (Northumbria University) and Matt Perry (Newcastle University) in conversation on the process of writing and framing a transnational biography for publication. Postgraduates enjoyed the chance to ask questions, particularly about designing a book and pitching it to publishers, using archival material to write biography and responding to gaps in the archive, and

After the first break, participants heard from Niall Whelehan (Edinburgh University) and Brian Ward (Northumbria University) who spoke on their own research showing two fantastic examples of how they combine transnational historical research with new approaches to the study of intellectual history and interdisciplinary research.

Participants then took part in breakout sessions led by André Keil, James Koranyi, and Tom Stammers (all Durham University) who each brought along sources from their own research to prompt discussion in small groups about the process of doing transnational history. Participants discussed a variety of issues, including understanding how archives come to exist in their current form, why they chose a transnational perspective for their own research, and whether or not ‘transnational’ has been overused as a term of reference.

To close the day, keynote speaker Christophe Verbruggen (Universiteit Gent) spoke about the use of digital toools to visualise data and to explore nineteenth century cultural and intellectual connections. One of the most important points Verbruggen made was the importance of transnational collaboration in order to create successful research, challenging postgraduates to think about the wider applications for the findings of their individual research projects.

In all, the day was a great success and the Histories of Activism group looks forward to hosting future postgraduate-led events. Thank you to all of the speakers and participants for their papers and contributions to discussions.

On 7 and 8 June 2016, you are invited to attend the conference ‘Two Centuries of Peacemaking’, to be held at Newcastle University and organised by scholars from Newcastle and Northumbria Universities, including Histories of Activism’s own Sarah Hellawell, Jon Coburn and Daniel Laqua. For more information please see http://historiesofactivism.blogspot.nl/2016/04/two-centuries-of-peacemaking-conference.html and to sign up please visit: http://webstore.ncl.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&modid=2&catid=52&prodid=465

Holocaust Memorial Day Public Lectures by Eva Clarke and Tom Lawson

Eva Clarke

On 27 January the History group, in partnership with the Newcastle City Council, will host a Holocaust Memorial Day public lecture with guest speaker Eva Clarke, and our own Professor Tom Lawson.

Eva Clarke was born in Mauthausen Concentration Camp, Austria in 1945, three days prior to the collapse of the Third Reich and liberation of the camp by the American Army. Eva and Anka, her mother, were the only remaining survivors, following the death of fifteen other family members in Auschwitz-Birkenau. This inspirational story of the survival of Eva and her mother will recount their harrowing experiences and tortuous journey to the notorious concentration camp and will show how courage and determination helped them to survive in the camp.

Professor Lawson will be speaking about this year’s Holocaust memorial theme, in a talk entitled “Bystanders and the Holocaust”.

One of the most encouraging things about this event is that it was proposed by one of our 1st Year History students, Michaela Crawley who has a working relationship with the Holocaust Memorial Trust.  Michaela will be introducing Eva, and I hope many of you will turn out to this exciting event.

Registration is required and space is limited so please book your place here.

Senior Lecturer / Lecturer in European History since 1848 Northumbria University - Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences

Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Salary: £33,242 to £47,328
Hours: Full Time
Contract Type: Permanent

Placed on: 24th April 2015
Closes: 25th May 2015
Job Ref: ADS14/27

The Department of Humanities embraces five subject areas: History, Literature, American Studies, Creative Writing, and Linguistics. The Department currently contains 70 staff who deliver programmes to around 1000 students. The Department is proud of its reputation for delivering first-class teaching on programmes which have been recognised for their excellence over the years by HEFCE and QAA. In recent years our provision has been strongly endorsed by our own students through the NSS.

In recent years we have been one of the fastest-growing History groups in the UK. The History group comprioses of 28 staff who are highly research-active, with notable recent successes in winning research funding from AHRC, Wellcome, Nuffield, and ESRC. As a consequence of strategic investment by the University and Faculty, we made a strong submission to the 2014 REF, improving markedly on our performance in the last RAE, jumping over 40 places in the overall rankings with research outputs ranked in the top 20.

As a member of the History team, you will be committed to high-quality research and enterprise, and excellence in learning, teaching, and assessment. In the role you will have opportunities to develop and consolidate existing research interests, with a view to making an active contribution to the REF; participate in multi-and inter-disciplinary initiatives within the wider Department of Humanities and beyond; generate research income through supported bids to national research councils and other funding bodies; build and strengthen external partnerships; be alert to impact opportunities; and contribute generally to the Department’s vibrant research culture. In teaching, the successful candidate will consolidate and help expand our undergraduate teaching provision by contributing to core modules across the degree; develop new research-led modules (including special subjects for the final year of our BA degrees); teach at postgraduate level on our MA and MRes programmes; and attract and supervise PGR students.

You will have a strong record in both research and teaching, a developing track record of successful bidding and will make a make a significant contribution to the work of the History team. Awareness of and involvement in research impact outside of academia is also a requirement. Applicants with an interest in digital history are encouraged to apply

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Professor Sylvia Ellis, Acting Head of Department, on 0191 2273736.

To download an Application Form please visit here

Northumbria University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community.

Closing Date: 25th May 2015 at noon

Professor Tom Lawson to Lecture on "Britain and Genocide: History, Memory and Morality"

Public Lecture by Professor Tom Lawson
Professor of History, Northumbria University
When:  6.30pm, Wednesday, 20 May, 2015
Where: Lecture Theatre 002, Business and Law Building, City Campus East, Northumbria University, Newcastle
Refreshments will be available from 6pm
Free admission
Register here

Synopsis

In twenty-first century Britain, genocide is the ultimate atrocity. In foreign policy the allegation of genocide has been important in recent debates around military action overseas; and in memory culture genocide is represented as a fundamental transgression. Within that culture, it is the spectre of the Holocaust that dominates.

In Britain, mourning and memorialization is often combined with a celebration of ‘our’ role as saviour and liberator. This lecture will explore the view that such a discourse obscures the complex role of genocide in British history and will seek to place racial extermination at the centre of the story of Britain, and particularly its Empire. In doing so the lecture will also call for a more reflective memory culture in the British present as a means of coming to terms with a violent past and for a morally active historiography as the means of achieving it.

About the Speaker

Tom Lawson is Professor of History and Associate Dean (Academic) in the Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences. He joined Northumbria in October 2013 from the University of Winchester where he’d been Professor of Holocaust Studies and Head of Research in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Tom is the author and editor of several books including: The Church of England and the Holocaust (2006); Debates on the Holocaust (2010); and with James Jordan The Memory of the Holocaust in Australia (2008), with Thomas Kuhne The Holocaust and Local History (2010) and with Stephen Parker, God and War (2012). His most recent book was published in 2014 as The Last Man: a British genocide in Tasmania. He is also the co-editor of Holocaust Studies: a journal of culture and history and was previously a mid-career fellow of the British Academy. Tom is currently writing a history of genocide in the British Empire entitled Empire of Extermination: Genocide in the British World.

Commemorating the Centenary of the Women's Peace Congress of 1915

The following is a cross-post from the Histories of Activism Group.

On Monday, 20 April, the Histories of Activism group is organising an event at the Newcastle Lit & Phil to commemorate the centenary of the Women's Peace Congress of 1915 - a major international meeting held at The Hague. Over 1,200 women came together to coordinate their efforts to bring an end to the Great War. Following on from their meeting in the Netherlands, participants travelled to European capitals to lobby the representatives of the warring nations.  The event also resulted in the creation of the International Committee of Women for a Permanent Peace, which was later transformed into the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) - a major pacifist organisation that still exists today.

A century on, our 'Women as Peacemakers' evening will allow us to reflect on the history, legacy and ongoing relevance of the women's peace movement. The event is open to the public and will start at 6:00 pm.

Delegates to the April 1915 conference.

• Daniel Laqua (Senior Lecturer in European History at Northumbria University) will introduce the event by commenting on the history of peace movement up to 1914 as well as outlining the main features of the congress at The Hague.
• Sarah Hellawell (PhD candidate in British History at Northumbria University) will present findings from her doctoral research. She will focus on the British women who attended the congress as well as the subsequent creation of a British WILPF section. She will show how the British women's movement emerged from a section of the pre-war suffrage movement, and will also consider the tension between national loyalty to the British war effort and women's transnational efforts for peace.
• Ingrid Sharp (Senior Lecturer in German at Leeds University) will discuss the aims and achievements of the women at The Hague, explaining why it is important to remember them. In doing so, she will draw attention to the legacy and significance of this year's centenary, shedding light on the relationship between peace, women's rights and human rights.
• Jon Coburn (PhD candidate in US History at Northumbria University) will draw on his doctoral research on women's activism for peace in 1960s/1970s America. He will point out that women's groups have had a long and positive role to play in the American peace movement. He will highlight the connections between different waves of activism and demonstrate the enduring relevance of women's peace history for contemporary peace groups.

 Participation in the event is free. There is no need to pre-register, but if you would like to let us know that you are coming, you can do so via our Facebook page.

Daniel Laqua on Internationalism in Wartime at Belgian Embassy Event

On 23 October, our colleague Daniel Laqua, Senior Lecturer in European History, gave a talk at the Residence of the Ambassador of Belgium to the UK, located in Belgravia, London. Daniel discussed ‘Cooperation in an Age of Conflict: Belgium, the Great War and the Quest for Peace’, speaking in front of an audience comprised of diplomats, academics and members of the Anglo-Belgian Society.

Daniel Laqua presenting his lecture

The event started with opening remarks by the Ambassador of Belgium, H.E. Mr Guy Trouveroy. The ambassador drew attention to the special function of Brussels as host city to both NATO and the European institutions. As he noted, Daniel Laqua’s work explains the wider historical context of Belgium’s contemporary role as an international hub. Daniel picked up on this point at the start of his lecture, pointing out that even in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a wide variety of ideas and activists met on Belgian soil. Such encounters reflected the extent to which the decades before 1914 were not only an age of mounting nationalism: they were also an era of large-scale international congresses, of transnational political movements and of wide-ranging intellectual and economic exchanges.

In his talk, Daniel traced the way in which the First World War affected these international contacts. As he put it: ‘how did groups and individuals act internationally at a time of intense nationalism?’ Daniel answered this question by focusing on three individuals who had been based in Belgium before World War One: the pacifist leader and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize of 1913, Henri La Fontaine; the politician and secretary of the Second International (which brought together socialist parties from different countries), Camille Huysmans; and Lalla Vandervelde, a British-born woman who was actively involved in various political and artistic networks and who was married to the Belgian socialist Emile Vandervelde, chairman of the Second International.

Daniel examined how each of these individuals continued to promote internationalism during the four years of war: La Fontaine championed the creation of a world organisation and an international court of war, writing and lecturing on this subject in North America. Huysmans sought to foster contacts between socialists from the warring nations, launching various efforts in the Netherlands and Sweden to this end. Vandervelde, in her turn, engaged in humanitarian fundraising work in both Britain and the USA.

Laqua signing copies of his recent book, The Age
of Internationalism and Belgium, 1880–1930

However, the fate of these three individuals also revealed the national passions triggered by the war: because of his country’s experience of invasion by Germany, La Fontaine found it difficult to cooperate with pacifists from Germany and Austria. Huysmans, who did engage in such dialogue across enemy lines, met with criticism from his own country. Vandervelde – who had been critical about her life in Belgium – developed a closer attachment to the country in which she had spent several decades. As Laqua argued, these experiences highlighted the double-edged nature of the First World War: ‘the First World War increased national antagonisms, yet it also provided a spur for new forms of internationalism.’

The lecture was followed by an engaging Q&A session that encouraged further exploration of the themes addressed in the talk. Afterwards, members of the audience took the opportunity to purchase discounted copies of Daniel’s book, The Age of Internationalism and Belgium, 1880–1930: Peace, Progress and Prestige (Manchester University Press, 2013). The event ended with a food-and-drink reception hosted by the ambassador. Daniel was enthusiastic about this special experience: ‘It was great to lecture to such a distinguished audience. I was amazed by the ambassador’s hospitality and the embassy’s interest in a historical perspective.’ His colleague Nicole Robertson, who attended the event, shared Daniel’s enthusiasm: ‘This was a great evening, with a fantastic talk in a stunning setting! Daniel’s lecture was very well received and prompted a lively discussion.’

An Interview with Charlotte Alston on Tolstoy's Disciples

Randall Stephens

This marks the first in a series of interviews with History and American Studies academic staff.  Here you’ll have a chance to find out more about the exciting research being conducted by those in our programmes, as well as learn about conferences and other events and initiatives planned for the near future.

In the segment below I speak with Charlotte Alston, Senior Lecturer in History at Northumbria University, about her most recent book, Tolstoy and His Disciples: the History of a Radical International Movement (I.B. Tauris, 2013).  She is also the author of two other books; Piip, Meierovics and Voldemaras: The Baltic States, Makers of the Modern World, the Peace Conferences 1919-23 and their Aftermath (Haus Publishing, 2010); and Russia’s Greatest Enemy? Harold Williams and the Russian Revolutions (I.B. Tauris, 2007). Charlotte has published journal articles and book chapters on Russia’s relations (both cultural and diplomatic) with the West, the history of the Russian revolution and the Russian civil war, the post-First World War peace settlements, and the international influence of Tolstoy’s thought.