FOAH2001 - Projects for 2021-22
We had 10 projects running in 2021-22:
Project Name: Writing the History International Brigades into the Key Stage Three Curriculum
Project Lead: Peter Anderson, History and International Brigade Memorial Trust
The British government has closely prescribed the history curriculum in English schools. This means that many important stories remain untold.
The history of the International Brigades stands out as one of the stories lost to the nation’s children. In the late 1930s, around 35,000 volunteers from over fifty countries volunteered to fight in Spain against the forces of General Franco and in defence of the elected, democratic government. They did so because they opposed appeasement and felt that by defeating Fascism in Spain they could stop a second world war. Well over 2,000 people volunteered from the United Kingdom and hundreds of them died. For many groups their story symbolises solidarity and tells the history of ordinary people’s responses to the rise of fascism rather than the dominant account of top-level politicians.
At Key Stage Three, schools have more scope to teach the history of their choosing. Accordingly, this option provides an opportunity to work with a specialist in the history of the Spanish Civil War (Peter Anderson), the International Brigade Memorial Trust (IBMT) and a school teacher (Alex Clifford) to write and design course materials for Key Stage Three teachers and pupils about popular responses to appeasements and ordinary people’s efforts to avoid a world war. The materials will be placed on the IBMT website. You will also help write an article for teachers to be submitted to the journal of the Historical Association to bring teachers’ attention to the materials.
You do not need specialist historical knowledge but you will develop this through the course. You will also learn how to produce material for the internet and for school pupils. You will be working in a close team and will develop the ability to work with charities and school teachers. You will also hone your skills in writing for different audiences.
Project outputs: Teaching materials and a journal article.
Project Name: Commemoration and the community: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in Harehills
Project Leads: Nina Wardleworth, LCS and The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Project Description: Harehills Cemetery in East Leeds contains 330 Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) graves of male and female casualties of the First and Second World Wars. Many of these servicemen and women died in local hospitals, as Leeds was one of the principal hospital centres in Yorkshire during both conflicts. This project involves working with the CWGC’s Public Engagement Coordinator for the North East, Elizabeth Smith, to develop community outreach materials to raise the profile of the Commission’s commemoration work. The CWGC also wishes to increase the sense of connection between local populations and the history and heritage of the site.
During the project, you will develop historical research and writing skills. You will gain experience working with partner organisations and producing resources for a range of different audiences. You don’t need expertise in the two world wars to apply for this project, just an enthusiasm to build historical connections. Some of the training and project work will take place on site at Harehills Cemetery and in community spaces in this area, which is in easy reach of campus.
Project outputs: The CWGC would like you to research the profiles of some of the casualties commemorated at the Harehills Cemetery, to develop a self-guided tour of the cemetery and history of the cemetery for the CWGC website as well as community engagements projects (possibly a community open day and primary school resources).
Project Name: Leeds Describ'd in the 20th-century
Project Lead: Antony Ramm, Leeds Libraries
Project Description: One of the most important sources for first-hand accounts of Leeds’ past is a book called Leeds Describ’d: Eyewitness Accounts of Leeds, 1534 – 1905. Published in 1993, compiled by Ann Heap and Peter Brears, the book collects observations of life in Leeds over a 300-year period.
But Leeds Describ’d finishes at the start of the 20th-century and consequently lacks testimonies from a diverse range of people and communities – including people of colour, the LGBT+ community, women and the working-class – that have been collected and published in books such as Melody Walker’s A Journey Through our Past History: The Story of the Jamaican People in Leeds over the last 20-years. The time, then, is right for an updated edition of Leeds Describ’d – one that brings the story to the present day and brings to the fore those marginalised voices.
So, you’ll be curating the best of those accounts from a variety of previously published sources held in the local history collections at Leeds Central Library, with the aim of creating a tapestry of first-hand accounts of life in Leeds from across the last century: a sequel to Leeds Describ’d. That’s the first part – the second part will be to devise and deliver an effective format to promote that new history of Leeds in the 20th-century.
In doing so, you’ll develop a range of skills, including the effective selection and editing of previously existing material, as well as techniques for inspiring community engagement. An interest in 20th-century social history would be advantageous, but not essential – we’re mainly looking for people who can think creatively about the source material and ways to promote it successfully.
Project outputs: Your raw material will be the curated accounts of life in 20th-century Leeds. Outputs for the promotion/publication of that material could include, but are absolutely not limited to:
• A printed collection of the material: a book, a ‘zine, a heritage trail etc (which will be deposited in the Central Library)
• A series of posts on our Secret Library Leeds blog (www.secretlibraryleeds.net)
• Social media engagement – Twitter accounts, Instagram feeds, Facebook activity, YouTube videos, podcasts etc. You could ‘takeover’ the official streams of Leeds Libraries
• Wikipedia-editing to increase engagement and interest in the published material the accounts draw from
• Physical and/or online exhibitions, including a bespoke website
• Group/individual talks about the histories captured in the accounts
• Creative use of the material through e.g. theatre, art work, music, poetry, dance
Project Name: Structural vulnerability- The impact of Covid-19 on International Students at University of Leeds
Project Leads: Fidelis Chebe, Migrant Action and Jas Singh (sem 1), Caroline Starkey (sem 2), PRHS
Project Description: Covid-19 exposed the structural vulnerabilities and inequalities in our society. The pandemic disproportionately impacted some sections of society, including at our University. International students, both from undergraduate to PhD level, have been significantly affected by the restrictions operational in society, and at the University. Many of them may have moved to the UK just as the country was locking down, and they might be living in an unfamiliar area, with few support networks. Due to the nature of online teaching, many international students (like home students) will not have met their lecturers or peers and might have increased struggles to access materials and academic support, as well as be uncertain about how to access wellbeing and mental health support, being far away from home and loved ones. This project sets out to investigate the experiences of international students (migrants) studying in the University of Leeds, and to raise awareness (both in the University and beyond) of the issues that they have faced (and continue to face) as the world struggles to manage the covid-19 pandemic.
In this project, students will be encouraged and support to conduct empirical research with UoL international students, and will be working closely together with Migrant Action and academic supervisors. We want to be led by students as to what the eventual outcomes of the research are, so there is flexibility for students to shape and influence the direction of the research. This could include a formal report, but also we want to encourage a more creative re-telling of international students stories, be it by podcasts, film, audio interviews.
This is an exciting and cutting-edge project, which might really make a difference to understanding international students experiences under covid, alongside an established charity in Leeds. Migrant Action was established in 2016 as an Advocacy and Rights based organisation providing information, guidance, advocacy support and direct practical assistance to ‘vulnerable’ migrants. Migrant Action works with migrants who have fallen through the cracks of the immigration system including (but not restricted to) stateless people, those who have been unable to regularise their status and those on temporary visas. We work to ensure equity of rights and justice for migrants, and although the primary focus of our work is not with asylum seekers and refugees, we do signpost them to appropriate agencies.
Project outputs: Report, social media blogs, eventbrite workshop
Project Name: Effectiveness of the AHC Wellbeing Project
Project Lead: Terri Watkins, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures
Project Description: The students would conduct research as peers into AHC student experience of the AHC Wellbeing Project. Previous research has indicated that few students are aware of the project and engagement is low despite weekly newsletters and events during term time. The project would like to better understand this and how we might position ourselves to meet the needs of students/help students understand what the project is and does.
The student will develop research skills, communication skills and report writing skills. They do not require any previous knowledge of the project. Would appeal to students who are interested in marketing and communications, wellbeing and event management.
Project outputs: A report, and open to other ideas
Project Name: Geraldine Connor Foundation - Creative Family Tree
Project Leads, Selina McGonagle, Geraldine Connor Foundation, and Sarah Richardson, Education Engagement (Sem 1), Liz Stainforth, FAHACS (Sem 2)
Project Description: Geraldine Connor Foundation (GCF) is 10 years old in 2022. We would like students to help us create a "Family Tree" exploring the legacy of individual artists, the value of connectivity and the importance of networks in the development of Creatives.
Students will work with GCF staff, trustees and associate artists to explore the value of networks. Identifying connection points and opportunities, which have had an impact on peoples careers and creativity in art and culture.
Students will gain an insight into the cultural sector, particular with regards to independent artists and the role they play in the ecology of the sector. Exploring people rather than cultural organisations. We will do this through research and fieldwork meeting and interviewing cultural professionals. We will explore and test the development of appropriate communicate tools to represent and explain connections and their impact.
We want to work with students who have an interest in culture, the arts and creativity. Excellent communication skills, verbal and written. An enthusiasm and open mindedness to work as a team and the motivation to work independently. We are particularly interested in working with students from diverse cultural backgrounds who may benefit from being introduced to the GCF network of Creatives.
The project will take place at the GCF office and on campus.
Project outputs: We would like the output from this project to be part of our 10 year birthday celebrations. It could be ideas, recommendations or a presentation of initial findings.
Project Name: Globalizing 20th century women’s stories in science and technology*
Project Lead: Graeme Gooday, PRHS and the Women's Engineering Society
Project Description: We need to know much more about the many women whose work in research and construction helped to build the world around us. Barely mentioned in textbooks (with the exception for Marie Curie), their lives are much less well-documented than those of male experts, especially those women working outside Europe and North America. Fortunately the UK’s Women’s Engineering Society (WES) recently put online a historical resource that has many stories of women scientists and engineers. This is a digitized version of 'The Woman Engineer' journal (hosted by the Institution of Engineering and Technology Archives) and this journal has articles dating back to WES’s founding in 1919 right up to the present day.
Students on this project would draw upon material in The Woman Engineer (and other online sources) to write blogposts on selected women’s activities; they would be supported and advised by WES and the Electrifying Women project led by Prof. Gooday. The priority would be writing the stories of women scientists and engineers in Africa, Asia and Latin America, including any participation by then in the International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists which started in 1964. The students' blogposts (individually or collectively written) would be published on the Electrifying Women website; these blogposts could then serve as the basis of Wikipedia entries written collaboratively by the students with the support of the Electrifying Women Project and WES.
Students taking on this project will need a passion for telling stories and a commitment to raising the profile of women's stories, especially in a broad multi-cultural perspective. You won't need to have advanced skills in history - a GSCE or equivalent in a history-related subject would be quite enough. You also don't need to know much about science and technology - the staff involved can help you with whatever is needed to write your blogposts.
By taking on this project you will acquire skills in researching printed historical materials, correlating stories from different periods in time, and assembling narratives that interpret women's changing place in the world of science and technology.
Project outputs: The students would produce blogposts which will be published on the Electrifying Website, and adapted into Wikipedia articles. These can be repurposed by the students in other formats (textual, graphical or video), by mutual agreement, e.g. for educational purposes, or for a special webpage of students' own design.
Project Name: Material Cultures of Money*
Project Lead: Rachel Muers (working with Matthew Treherne and Mark Davis), PRHS (also LCS and SSP)
Project Description: You'll be asking questions about the cultural life of money in different historical and geographical contexts - and what we can learn about this from studying material cultures of money. What stories do coins, notes and other forms of money tell about the societies that use them? How does money reflect and shape culture?
This project is part of the next stage of a new Leeds-based interdisciplinary collaboration looking at what the arts and humanities can contribute as society faces new challenges around money and finance. You can find out more about our work so far on https://culturallifeofmoney.leeds.ac.uk/ . We've been investigating how money and finance are represented, what stories are told about money and finance, how systems of money and finance shape our cultural life, what historical and cross-cultural studies teach us about money and finance - and how any of this might help us to imagine different futures. We're looking for a group of students to create research-based online content for the collaboration, to provide more examples of how interdisciplinary research can expand our understanding of money and finance.
To do this, we hope you'll be working with the University's extensive coin collection, with the support of the special collections team. There may also be opportunities to work with an external partner. We also hope you'll be part of reviewing and discussing the work of the collaboration in its first year - including a podcast series - and identifying areas for future research.
You'll develop skills in working across academic disciplines, understanding the relevance of historical and cross-cultural studies for contemporary challenges, and communicating academic research to a wide audience. You don't need any specific skills - just enthusiasm for helping us to explore this growing research area.
Project outputs: Some public-facing online materials (for a broad academic and non-academic audience).
Project Name: Activism and campaigning through the eyes of the student newspapers*
Project Lead: Tim Procter, Special Collections & Galleries
Project Description: An exciting chance to explore what got past Leeds students fired-up, angry and passionate! Working with the digitised collection of historic student newspapers http://digital.library.leeds.ac.uk/view/newspapers/ which are part of Special Collections & Galleries, you will examine the history of student activism and campaigning, as reflected through the student newspapers of the times. You'll get to work with some of the Special Collections & Galleries staff. You'll develop and enhance your research skills, particularly those skills needed for online searching and interrogation. You'll also learn about dealing with a historic source that may have had its own agendas or biases, depending on the editors or the mood of the times. And you'll also develop skills in turning digital research into outputs. This project can be done entirely remotely, but if circumstances allow we will arrange some sessions to look at the 'real thing'. But no special travel or out-of-hours work will be needed.
We don't expect anyone to come to this with any experience of research or archives. But good attention to detail and some confidence in the basic online environment (web searching, library catalogues) will stand you in good stead. Most of all we expect a curiosity about the past and an open mind - you might find historic attitudes and opinions that surprise you in a student publication - and a willingness to share and be part of a team.
Project outputs: This project lends itself to several different outputs. A web page and a talk or event are possible, and it might be interesting to think about a campus "activism trail" if there are memorable events linked to particular sites or buildings. An edited collection is also possible, with a commentary comparing and contrasting todays' student concerns.
Project Name: The English Education System
Project Lead: Mel Prideaux, PRHS, and Leeds Asylum Seekers Network (LASSN)
Project Description: You will be building on the work of the 2020-2021 group and working in partnership Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network and students from Leeds Beckett University, to complete the development of a new online resource to support refugees and asylum seekers to engage with the English education system and then to promote and support engagement with the resource. You will work with members of the refugee and asylum seeking community to develop and promote the resource.
You will be developing your research and team working skills as well as making friends with people you would otherwise have never met. This is a great project if you want to know more about life outside the University, and want to see your work make a real difference. You need no existing knowledge of the English education system or of conducting research and development work of this type.
What you DO need is:
1. Willingness to be flexible and adaptable, you may need to meet with your research partners outside of normal working hours
2. Great communication skills
3. Drive and determination to see the project through
Project outputs: A web based resource