For our most recent directive we have a combination of in-house topics and collaborations, covering a range of topics.
Part 1: Seeking Asylum
This is a commission by Dr Ellen Pilsworth and a research team at the University of Reading. Their 4-year research and public engagement project, Nation of Refuge, aims to understand and reimagine Britain’s relationship with refugees.
The team are studying Britain’s refugee history from 1930 to present day, drawing insight from diverse refugee movements to understand the complexity of Britain’s relationship with refugees and asylum-seekers over time. Public engagement is a key part of their work and they’re keen to hear the views and experiences of Mass Observers to help shape and inform the project.
Part 2: Everyday Colour
This is an in-house topic that complements many existing collections, It is a topic that Mass Observation asked about in 1944 and will also support the research of Neve Meats, a PhD student we are collaborating with at the University of Manchester. Neve is working on visual submissions and materiality within the archive.
Part 3: Peacemaking
For our final topic we have collaborated with Emily Calcraft, a PhD researcher at the University of Sheffield. Emily is research focuses on the British pacifist movement between the World Wars. Her research looks at peace activists’ attempts to change education to diminish the likelihood of war. The directive will help to provide a snapshot of how history lessons have been used to tell specific narratives of war.
You can view all our past directives here.
If you are a researcher interested in commissioning your own directive make sure to visit our research pages!