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School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh

Instead of rooting for a comprehensive definition of futility, this workshop offers a space for comparative analysis and theorizing, from different perspectives, if allegedly futile, unnecessary, worthless and quixotic actions might point toward an alternative reading of the political per se. A bit of a university challenge thingy where Scottish Universities meet Cambridge, the workshop has an open structure with a chance to present work-in-progress and plenty of time to discuss, debate and ask questions. Participants included: Galina Stjepanovic, Matei Candea, Mathias Thaler, Maya Mayblin, Mihaela Mihai, Natalie Morningside, Tobias Kelly and Vita Peacock.

National War Museum, National Museums Scotland

This exhibition at the National War Museum explored the little-known story of British conscientious objectors of the Second World War through paintings, poems, letters, music and speeches. The reintroduction of conscription meant that British citizens were expected to contribute directly to the war effort. To gain exemptions from conscription on the grounds of conscience, individuals were required to appear before a tribunal and produce evidence about their honesty and commitment to their principles. During the Second World War, over 60,000 men and women chose not to fight for religious, political or moral reasons. Following the stories of conscientious objectors including Scottish author, Fred Urquhart, and poet, Edwin Morgan, the exhibition examines the application process, the reasons people had for opposing conscription, and what happened to them as a result. If successful in their application, conscientious objectors could be exempted from national service altogether, or more commonly assigned to other non-combatant roles such as bomb disposal, hospital work or agricultural labour. Some of those whose applications were unsuccessful were ultimately imprisoned.

For more information see the NMS website and the NMS blog, or coverage in the National Press here and here.

Satyodaya Educational Training Centre, Kandy, Sri Lanka

The workshop was a dialogue between academic researchers, interested in the history of activism and human rights in Sri Lanka, and creative artists and activists, who have had occasion to reflect on the issue of conscience, either in their daily practice or in public interventions. The workshop was co-organized by the American Institute for Lankan Studies (AILS). Contributions from Amara Hapuarachchi, Charles Hallisey, Chitra Manuguru, David Shulman, Ermiza Tegal, Harini Amarasuriya, Harshana Rambukwella, Sarala Emmanuel, Jonathan Spencer, Kumudini Samuel, Marshall Fernando, Maunaguru, Neloufer de Mel, Sharika Thiranagama, Sidharthan Maunaguru, Sumathy Sivamohan, Sunil Wijesiriwardene, Venuri Perera

University of Edinburgh.

This workshop explored, scrutinised and analyses the ways in which we discuss and commemorate the lived experience of the Second World War. It broughht together researchers in the field to discuss their work and to flag up themes which will be of importance during the 80th anniversary commemorations of the conflict (2019-2025). It brought together those who are well-established in the field as well as Early Career Researchers and PGR students in order to foster a community of academics with research interests in the Second World War. Participants included: Alex Henry, Ayshka Sene, Corinna Peniston-Bird, David Clampin, Ellena Matthews, Frances Houghton, Harriet Beadnell, Jeremy Crang, Kasia Tomasiewicz, Linsey Robb, Lucy Noakes, Marc Wiggam, Tobias Kelly, Wendy Ugolini and Wendy Webster.

School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh

This workshop asked: What are the conditions and possibilities of dissent? How can we understand those moments when people take a public stand, often at great personal risk? Such acts can be understood as attempts to take a position of principle in the face of particular political regimes. However, commitments are never just political abstractions, but are also produced and take shape through intimate relations of obligation and affect. Dissidents are not simply people of public ideals, but also enmeshed in other, sometimes contradictory aspirations and relationships. We can only understand the intensity of their commitments, as well as the risks they face, if we also understand these intimate ties. The social world of dissidents and activists is often a place of especially intense sociality: dissent therefore also involves the making (and breaking) specific attachments of kinship, friendship and loyalty. And furthermore, the forms of solidarity and inequality that mark these relationships can also run through acts of dissent. The act of publicly taking a stand should therefore be treated as a multi-layered, and usually deeply intimate, phenomenon. Participants included: Carole McGrannahan, Doreen Lee, Erica Weiss, Galina Oustinova-Stjepanovic, Harini Amarasuriya, Jonathan Spencer, Serra Hakyemez, Sidharthan Maunaguru, Tobias Kelly