The hyphenated language of the archive Natalie Wood is a PhD candidate at the University of Manchester. Her ethnographic research explores how the entertainment-based tourism industry of Blackpool might shed light on what it means to live, work and holiday in post-industrial- cum- neoliberal Britain. In particular, she asks what it is about British lifeContinueContinue reading “What Relationship Does Mass Observation Have to Anthropology?”
Author Archives: Mass Observation Archive
‘Ooh, the rumours!’: Mass Observation and VE Day
In the lead up to the 80th anniversary of VE, Khaleda Brophy-Harmer (PhD Candidate at the University of Southampton), has gone through the archive’s collection of VE day materials to provide insight into how people experienced and wrote about VE day. – On the evening of May 7th, Prime Minister Winston Churchill interrupted radio broadcasting toContinueContinue reading “‘Ooh, the rumours!’: Mass Observation and VE Day”
The Spring 2025 Directive
Spring 2025 Directive Spring Directive 2025 This directive we’re asking our writers to respond to three timely topics. Part 1: COVID-19 Pandemic Reflections Mass Observation has been reflecting back on March 2020. It was the 17th March when we contacted Observers to say we were leaving the office and if we weren’t in touch, toContinueContinue reading “The Spring 2025 Directive”
The Mass Observation Critical Series
What do people believe about death and the afterlife? How does the British public imagine the monarchy and its role in British society and governance? How will the Covid-19 pandemic be remembered? What did it mean to people? How did it feel? In this series of publications, the words and writing of Mass Observers are usedContinueContinue reading “The Mass Observation Critical Series”
Researching MO: Mass Observation Covid-19 collection: What does it mean for researchers?
As we are now five years on from the first Covid-19 lockdown in the UK, we asked Justyna Robinson (“Mass Observing Covid-19” project academic advisor) how researchers can harness the knowledge presented in Covid-19 collection. The collection includes texts discussing life during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as rich metadata, which consists of biographic informationContinueContinue reading “Researching MO: Mass Observation Covid-19 collection: What does it mean for researchers?”
Researching MO: Royalty and Monarchy
Royalty and monarchy have always been of interest to Mass Observation. Indeed, it was the public debate surrounding King Edward’s relationship with Wallis Simpson that saw the formation of Mass Observation ‘It was the ‘cross-cutting of feeling through age, class, occupation and the silence of the Press till the crisis came, that helped the foundersContinueContinue reading “Researching MO: Royalty and Monarchy”
Mass Observation Books, 1937-1950
The material gathered by Mass Observation formed the basis for books published between 1937 and 1950. 1937 Mass Observation by Madge, C. & Harrisson, T.H., London: Frederick Muller Ltd.1937 May the Twelfth: Mass Observation Day Surveys by Jennings, H. & Madge, C. with Beachcroft, T.O., Blackburn, J., Empson, W., Legg, S. & Raine, K.London: FaberContinueContinue reading “Mass Observation Books, 1937-1950”
12th May 2025
Press Statement Mass Observation 12th May Day Diary Event In 2025 the Mass Observation Archive will be repeating its national call for day diaries, capturing the everyday lives, thoughts and feelings of people across the UK. This year we are celebrating creative communities. We are working with libraries, community groups and arts organisations to promoteContinueContinue reading “12th May 2025”
Researching MO: House and Home
In our new blog series ‘Researching MO’ we’ll be looking at different ways that MO material is used for research. Approaching the collection can sometimes be daunting, and the stories you’re looking for might not always be in the place you expect! This series will serve as a way in to the collection. Each postContinueContinue reading “Researching MO: House and Home”
Digitisation of Mass Observation Project material
Responses to Mass Observation Project Directives from 2010-2019 are currently away for digitisation and cannot be viewed in person at The Keep. The material will be unavailable until Summer 2025. Please contact Archive staff for more information or to arrange access to the responses which were sent to the Archive electronically via email. These responsesContinueContinue reading “Digitisation of Mass Observation Project material”