I wrote an article for Time Magazine on the history of military suicide that was published today! I never thought I would be able to write that sentence. I'm really proud of this, its a big thing for me, and continues my knowledge exchange and public engagement. At the end of this is the need... Continue Reading →
New Article – Your Country Still Needs YOU!
Your country still needs you: why the British army is running the same old campaign a century after WWI? Military Recruitment a Century Apart! - Read here: https://theconversation.com/your-country-still-needs-you-why-the-british-army-is-running-the-same-old-campaign-a-century-after-wwi-122755
Goodbye to all that
The centenary of the First World War has been over now for almost a year. I count myself lucky as I started my PhD exactly 100 years from the beginning of the war, and I ended it the same way in 2018. Each year of my PhD I lived through the war vicariously through the... Continue Reading →
Doing History in Public Again
I don't usually weblog, but this short piece about the importance and challenges of public history by the incredible Dr Jessica Meyer at Leeds University is an important read for the state of modern academia for historians.
Bad Bod: Body Shaming in the Military
Body shaming in the military is not new. For centuries recruits have been tormented and shamed to encourage them to be fit to fight. However in the face of extreme Fat Shaming in the twenty-first century of both genders, this article considers the changing focus on the body in the last two centuries and discusses bullying, suicide, and abuse as part of the attainment of the perfect military body.
#iminabook: Personal Suicide
Today I read my name in a book for the first time! Excited does not cover it, so in this overly sentimental reflection of my 'tragic' life, I really just want to say thank you for the love and support to get me from the brink to a book!
What (or who) is the Modern Museum for? Curation in the 21st Century
What are Museums actually for today? These were the questions I asked myself as I wandered around the amazing collects of the National Museum of Scotland today. #museums #museumsmusings
‘Invalid’: The Power of a Label
The word 'invalid' has existed for over 2000 years. It's meaning has changed and evolved. Recently the word describe wounded troops or disabled individuals, but also meant 'not valued' - this article considers the damage of a label and questions how the interpretations of invalid have linked to discriminate and segregate.
Thy Will Be Done: Death, Grief, and Responsibility.
After being told today that someone in my life is dying - it seems only right that for the final article of #mentalhealthawarenessweek, I will be looking at grief, responsibility and death rituals.
Eurovision: OMG OMG ITS EUROVISION – (Positive ways to improve mental health)
As we come to the end of #mentalhealthawarenessweek I wanted to look at something a little more positive than some of the previous articles I have posted.  This article looks at ways that you can improve your mental state - and it does it through the power of MUSSSIIICCCC (Namely - Eurovision). I am a... Continue Reading →
