Lauren Emslie, 2nd year PhD student in classics, studying religion and theology in the late Roman republic. She is also currently chair of the PGF and organising AMPAH 2016.
She has a self-defined “slight social-media aversion” (although likes meeting people in person!), so it took a while, but we finally got her to sit down and answer a few questions for us…
1. How did you come to be interested in your current area of research?
From a young age I was fascinated by ‘the Romans’. When I came to university I started learning Latin and from there fell in love with ancient literature.
2. What advice would you have for current UG or early stage PG students?
Keep reading!
3. Can you describe your research in three words?
Religion, Gods, and Cicero
4. What book are you currently reading?
The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
5. What is the most important life skill you learnt whilst being a PGR student?
When to use a backpack for your books.
6. Do you have favourite hidden gems of Newcastle?
It may not be so secret, but the view down the river from the Free Trade Inn on any day is one of my favourites.
7.What is your favourite movie quote?
“For a special agent, you’re not having a very special day, are you?” (Waverly, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015))
It’s difficult to proceed down PhD’s journey (what else is life these days?) without being reminded that the 21st-century scholar must make an impact. With my research, the North East’s First World War Trench Art, I should have something of a head-start. After all, there can be few events that have so profoundly affected the region, while the war’s centenary has placed events such as Ypres, Gallipoli and the Somme high in the public consciousness. Exploring one aspect of that conflict’s material culture (items used in the prosecution of war and now transformed into artistic souvenirs or agents of commemoration), is stimulating some novel investigative
A shell case in the Durham Light Infantry Museum. The cross and eagle had been incorrectly assessed as German. The piece was most likely owned by a British padre.
approaches. My research is the first to be conducted through the interrogation of a detailed database of trench art which I am currently constructing. I am also applying an adapted form of an artefact-centred interview, a technique pioneered by Dr Jane Webster, Newcastle University. As I embark on my second year I thought I might share some issues around the idea of research impact.
Tilting at windmills or slaying dragons? The deeper we engage in scholarship the more we are entitled, indeed we have a duty, to challenge received wisdom in our particular academic discipline. Conflict studies in general, and the First World War in particular, is a land of windmills and dragons. In getting to grips with the context of my thesis, I am becoming increasingly aware of changing social agendas and the relativist interpretations of the Great War and its outcomes. Archaeologists love context. For a pot sherd recovered from a stratigraphic layer in a trench, context can be simple to establish. It’s a matter of understanding deposition processes and dating cues. However, my ‘trench’ is the war itself. Its context spans a century populated by academics, politicians, social scientists, poets and artists, all offering their own interpretations of war, its morals and dynamics. I see some of the war’s critique, especially that from the 1960’s, including Alan Clarke’s ‘Lions led by donkeys’, as a windmill and possibly no longer even deserving of a tilt. But what of the works of Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfred Owen and Robert Graves, or more precisely, interpretations of their writing and how they have been deployed by those with a particular academic or cultural agenda? As I scan the horizon of my work I’m aware that I will need to navigate windmills and be wary of dragons. Why not find impact by slaying the more villainous?
Research suggests that these shell cases are associated with the engagement or marriage of a soldier on the Western Front and his fiancé who worked in a munitions factory in the North of England.
Who wants impact anyway? It is a sad indictment of our times that our society is often careless of its heritage. I am working with a range of museums, libraries, local authorities, charities and community groups, indeed the Beamish Museum is a strategic partner. These bodies are essential in allowing me to establish a critical mass regarding my research data. They will also be important in disseminating my findings, allowing them to be of wider scholarly and social benefit. And yet, even now, one of my key sources, the Durham Light Infantry Museum, is threatened with closure. They need our impact if they are to survive.
And, as a counter to second-year stasis, I am very fortunate in the motivation I can gain from social engagement during research. As well as developing outreach activities, I have already been able, through examination of family-owned pieces of trench art, to establish more secure narratives concerning ancestors who fought in the war and, in one case, resolve for his descendant, the fate and final resting place of one veteran.
As we approach the century of the Battle of the Somme, I already sense a degree of First World War fatigue in some media and public organisations. As the subject’s novelty loses some traction, I see an opportunity to establish a more long-term and academically-founded interest in the material culture of the war and how successive generations approach it through its artefacts.
If you are aware of any trench art in the region that retains a family biography, I would be delighted to hear from you. Details can be found here.
Here is this week’s newsletter. If you would like to promote an event, please get in touch
(m.ahlers1@ncl.ac.uk).
Research Seminars
Archaeology: Roman Archaeology Research Seminar
Tuesday 17th November, 6-7:30pm, Armstrong Building, Room 1.06
Nick Hodgson (Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums): ‘WallQuest Community Archaeology and the discovery of the fort baths at Wallsend (Segedunum)’
Classics and Ancient History: Wednesday 18th November, 5-7pm, Armstrong Building, Room 2.50
Edward Harris (Durham University): ‘Trials in Thucydides and Xenophon’
History:
Wednesday 18th November, 5-7pm, Armstrong Building, Room 1.04
Katrina Navickas (University of Hertfordshire): ‘Protest and the Politics of Space and Place, 1789-1848’
Further School Events
Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Research Student Symposium 20th and 21st November
Keynote lecture by Dr Chris Fowler 20th November, 5:30-7pm, Armstrong Building, Room 1.06 ‘The powers that be’ and powerful events: ontologies in Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Britain and Ireland Student Symposium on 21st November, 9am – 4:30pm, Armstrong Building, Room 1.06 If you would like to attend either the keynote lecture or the actual symposium please get in touch the with the organisers Lucy Cummings and Mareike Ahlers at nebarss2015@gmail.com Please find futher information at https://nebarss.wordpress.com/
Newcastle Early Modern Forum Symposium
Wednesday 18th November, 6pm, Percy Building Italian Exchanges: Venice and Rome in Renaissance English writing and its perception
with
Caitlin Phillips (Durham University): ‘Protest, Magic and the Reformation’
Amy Shields (Newcastle University): ‘Why Venice? Plato Redivivus and the Role of the Noble Venetian’
Megan Holman (Northumbria University): ‘Men may construct things after their fashion: Reading Graphic Novel Shakespeare’
Newcastle University Public Lectures
Wednesday 18th November, 5:30 – 7pm, Curtis Auditorium, Herschel Building Celebrating Student Research Scholarships and Expeditions 2015
Thursday 19th November, 5:30-6:45pm, Curtis Auditorium, Herschel Building
Amanda Vickery (Professor in Early Modern History, Queen Mary University): Mutton dressed as lamb (British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies Patron’s Lecture)
We set off from Newcastle Airport with the weather forecast to rain, rain, rain, with a little more rain scheduled for Belfast for the next few days. We were pleasantly surprised to land in a slightly grey but DRY Belfast. We had time to wander around the city of Belfast, to see some of the street art, the infamous ’Big Fish’, the Ulster Museum and we even squeezed in a visit to Maggie May’s Café, which was as nice as people had reported, and so we pass on the recommendation (see photo below)!
Belfast side streets & artwork (left & top right); Maggie May’s milkshake & ice cream sundae after a trip to the Ulster Museum! (bottom right)
The main aim of the Wednesday timetable was to give this year’s newly funded students a chance to talk and get to know each other, and to hear about their research topics; whilst for the 2014/2015 group it was a chance to catch up with each other’s progress and adventures since the Newcastle event in June 2015.
While the new starters were perfecting their ‘elevator pitch’ (ie. Sell yourself to a prospective boss in the time it takes you to climb 7 floors in a lift!), we spent time reflecting on the advantages of being part of the Northern Bridge partnership. We also highlighted areas in which more could have been made as a new starter, and this was the spark for the afternoon session, which we were to run for the new cohort. This ‘Peer Feedback’ session also included a pitching session for possible training events to be run and organised through Northern Bridge by us, the students. The focus of the afternoon was careers and employability; we heard from a Northern Bridge student who had undertaken a placement that had benefitted her research and provided a possible career path post-PhD. It certainly gave us some food for thought!
The day was concluded with a drinks reception in the wonderful Great Hall of Queen’s University followed by a meal at an Italian restaurant (also followed by a visit to the nearby pubs and bars for some!).
The Great Hall, Queen’s University, Belfast.
Thursday’s sessions included thematic-based interdisciplinary group networking, followed by a Keynote lecture by Professor Richard Clay (Newcastle University) titled “from coins to Internet in 45 minutes(ish)”. Professor Clay outlined some interesting ideas about the use of marks, graffiti and prints to change perception and re-code public space using examples through history—from early coinage to modern-day street art.
The closing session focussed on ways of disseminating research via the media, discussing ‘being Mary Beard’ – an academic who regularly presents her research interest to the public through documentaries, radio programmes, and her blog, alongside her academic publications. This session also brought up very current issues regarding gender and the representation of academics (women academics, in particular) within the media. It was a short but thought provoking session which raised questions about women in academia and in the media, and how we can move to change these stereotypes. This is obviously an issue which is currently being scrutinised and addressed by academia and the wider public alike.
The autumn conference was a great introduction for the new starters, and provided some food for thought for those of us in stage 2 of our PhD projects – How will we disseminate our work? What road will be taken, an academic or non-academic path? What makes my CV stand out from all the others?
This week’s newsletter, once again! If you would like to promote an event, please get in touch
(m.ahlers1@ncl.ac.uk).
Research Seminars
Archaeology: Archaeology Research Seminar
Tuesday 12th November, 6-7pm, Armstrong Building, Room 1.05
Paddy Gleeson (Newcastle): ‘Building kingdoms and ruling landscapes: practices of kingship in the Atlantic World’.
Further School Events
Field trip organised by Dr Susanna Phillippo (please get in touch with her if you are interested)
Sunday 15th November: Hadrian‘s Wall trip (Walltown crags, Thirlwall castle, Greenhead)
• Walltown crags, Thirlwall castle, Green head
• An introduction to the Wall: a circular walk along the highest and one of the most dramatic stretches of the Wall, perched on Walltown Crags, with impressive views (weather permitting!) to Scotland and the Pennines.
• Walk from Greenhead village to ruins of Thirlwall Castle (with its legends of buried treasure and a magical dwarf!) ad past site of the Roman fort of Carvoran/Magnis.
• Visit to Roman Army Museum (also a wet weather alternative!)
Newcastle University Public Lectures
10th October, 5:30-6:45, Herschel Building, Curtis Auditorium Eric Cross (Dean of Cultural Affairs, Newcastle University): ‘One hundred years of Bach performances’.
Lucy Cummings, our very own Seminar Series Co-Ordinator, is a 2nd year archaeology PhD student studying the henge monuments of the British Isles. Newcastle University ‘lifer’ so far – BA, MA and now PhD here in the department. Currently organising the 2nd NEBARSS conference (https://nebarss.wordpress.com). Occasionally uses twitter, follow her if you don’t mind archaeology/football related tweets.
1. How did you come to be interested in your current area of research?
In archaeology: from an open-day session ran by Dr Mark Jackson, which changed my mind from applying for a chemistry degree to archaeology!
In henges/Later Neolithic: From first year UG lectures on monumental space and enclosure of ‘special’ places in the landscape – especially when the functional use was so up in the air! It was very intriguing, and a theme through quite a few of my UG and MA pieces of work, which has now led to my current PhD topic.
2. What is the worst advice you have even been given?
‘Lose your accent to do well’ –Everyone likes the Yorkshire accent – who wouldn’t?
3. What has been the highlight of your week?
Actually ticking something off of my ever-growing ‘To Do’ list!
4. What is the most important life skill you learnt whilst being a PGR student?
That things are never as bad as they seem after a decent sleep!
5. What do you enjoy most about being part of the History, Classics and Archaeolgy department at Newcastle?
I’ve been here from UG to PGR so I definitely love it here! Everyone is friendly and encouraging, and it is a great department to be in as a student. It’s always good when you can have a laugh with your lecturers!
6. What did you want to be as a child?
A vet, and then a CSI officer – until I realised I don’t like blood/needles/wounds of any kind.
8. What is your favourite place on earth?
The Lake District is a favourite area of mine, for the walking, the scenery and also the wild animal park!
Also, skiing (anywhere) – being at the top of a snowy mountain gives you stunning views and is a great way of relaxing and clearing the mind.
9. What’s next for Lucy?
I will be co-hosting a conference here at Newcastle at the end of the month (and giving my first conference paper- scary!), then after that it will be a couple of months of focused reading and data collection to get ahead in my research.
The Annual Meeting for Postgraduates in Ancient History will take place here at Newcastle University on Saturday 19th March 2016.
Call for Papers
‘Messages and Media’
The world is full of messages. From text to images to sounds, messages dominate society, past and present. How can we explore this phenomenon in and through ancient history? What are media? Where is the message? AMPAH 2016, as usual, invites papers of all topics from postgraduate students of Ancient History and Classics, but in particular we would like to explore sending and receiving in the Ancient World whether through images and statues, through text, inscriptions, or the proverbial ‘writing on the wall’; from ‘putting on a show’, to performing in the public arena, how do we interpret their interactions? And how can we, as ancient historians, use media to ‘get our message across’?
Topics welcomed include, but are not limited to:
• Sending and Receiving
• Public Image
• Politics as performance
• Propaganda as medium
• Graffiti, papyrology, and non-elite media
• Music and poetry
• Popular culture in the Ancient World
• Public inscriptions
• Historiographical context
• Reception and recreation
• Messages to and from the gods
• Transmitting ideologies
• Rhetoric and media
• History and its message
Please send abstracts of no more than 300 words for papers of twenty minutes to ampah2016@newcastle.ac.uk by Monday 11th January 2016.
This week’s newsletter is up, folks – to see it in .pdf form, ! If you would like to promote an event, please get in touch
(m.ahlers1@ncl.ac.uk).
Research Seminars
Archaeology: Roman Archaeology Research Seminar
Tuesday 27th October, 6-7pm, Armstrong Building, Room 1.05
Jane Webster (Newcastle): ‘A dirty window on the Iron Age’? Recent developments in the archaeology of Celtic (and Romano-Celtic) religion.
Classics and Ancient History: Classics and Ancient History Research Seminar Wednesday 21st October, 5-7pm, Armstrong Building, Room 2.50
Edith Foster (CWRU): ‘The Paradoxical Battle Narratives of Xenophon’s Hellenica’
Further School Events
Archaeology Nights Out (For all archaeology Staff and PG) Thursday 29th October, from 5pm onwards at Bar Loco on Leazes Park Road; for more Information please contact Maria Duggan
Newcastle University Public Lectures
27th October, 5:30-6:45, Herschel Building, Curtis Auditorium Paul Finkelman, (F Sallows Professor of Human Rights Law, University of Saskatchewan): Fighting slavery and human trafficking: what we can learn from the American abolitionists.
29th October, 5:30-6:45, Herschel Building, Curtis Auditorium Dr Alexandra Harris, (Senior Lecturer in English Literature, University of Liverpool): ‘Journeys in weatherland.’
Here is the first of our weekly events-newsletters. If you would like to promote an event through our newsletter please get in touch with me (m.ahlers1@ncl.ac.uk).
PGF Lunchtime Seminar
Wednesday 21st October, 1-2pm, Armstrong Building, Room 2.50
Xu Hong (UCD): ‘Did Philip intend to invade Italy: A case study of the application of the Realist theories to the Hellenistic international relations’
Research Seminars
Archaeology: Archaeology Research Seminar:
Thursday 22nd October, 4-5pm, Armstrong Building, Room 2.16
Matthew Haysom (Newcastle University): ‘Reconstructing life on Late Bronze Age Crete’
Classics and Ancient History: Classics and Ancient History Research Seminar
Wednesday 21st October, 5-7pm, Armstrong Building, Room 2.50
Edith Foster (CWRU): ‘The Paradoxical Battle Narratives of Xenophon’s Hellenica’
History: Wednesday 21st October, 5-7pm, Armstrong Building, Room 1.04
Tim Strangleman (University of Kent): ‘Visualising Work in the Twentieth Century: Guinness and the Life and Death of an English Brewery’
Further School Events
Field trip organised by Dr Susanna Phillippo (please get in touch with her if you are interested)
Sunday 25th October: Corbridge/Corstopitum: Roman site and village (afternoon)
• Corstopitum fort: important ‘crossroads’ settlement in Roman times, predating Hadrian’s Wall: extensive remains and a good museum including the famous ‘Corbridge Lion’; also the chance to walk along a Roman road! (the Stanegate);
• Corbridge village: one of the Tyne valley’s most attractive, including partly Saxon church creatively reusing Roman stonework (also excellent tea shops and at least one historic pub!)
Newcastle University
Public Lecture: 20th October, 17:30-18:45, Curtis Auditorium, Herschel Building
All changed, changed utterly
Clare Marx, President of the Royal College of Surgeons
(free admission, no pre-booking required)
22nd October, 17:30-18:45, Curtis Auditorium, Herschel Building
Culture in question: ‘everyday participation’ and the contest over cultural value
Dr Andrew Miles, ESRC Centre for Socio-Cultural Change, University of Manchester
We are delighted to announce our first PGF seminar will be given by Xu Hong from UCD.
Wednesday 21st October inroom 2.50 (Armstrong Building, next to the reading room) at 1pm.
Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available as always – please come along and support our first postgraduate guest speaker.
Xu Hong – ‘Did Philip intend to invade Italy? A case study of the application of the Realist theories to the Hellenistic international relations’
The PGF seminar series is a fantastic opportunity for postgraduate students to deliver papers about their current research or research interests. This has been a great success in past years, so this year we will be developing this series in order to offer more flexibility. Therefore, we offer you the opportunity to present either a 20 minute paper or an extended paper of 30-50 minutes. This could be at lunchtime (usually between 1pm and 2pm on Wednesdays) or perhaps, in the evening (with the opportunity for taking questions in the pub!). If you would like to give a presentation, please do get in touch. If have any other ideas regarding the structure of a seminar or seminar sessions which you would like to do, if you know of postgraduate students from another university you would like to invite to give a paper, or if you have any questions or ideas then please do get in touch – we are open to new thoughts and aim to be as flexible as possible!
Lauren Emslie, 2nd year PhD student in classics, studying religion and theology in the late Roman republic. She is also currently chair of the PGF and organising AMPAH 2016.
