Documenting disruption: Everyday life during times of war

Host: Philippa Edward, Global CEO, Verian

Professor Lucy Noakes (Rab Butler Chair in Modern History, President, Royal Historical Society, University of Essex)

Bio: Lucy is the Rab Butler Professor of Modern History at the University of Essex and President of the Royal Historical Society. She has used Mass Observation extensively in both her research and teaching, using it to explore understandings of Armistice Day in 1930s Britain, the management of emotions in the Second World War, and public engagement with the centenary of the First World War between 2014-18. Her publications The People’s Victory. VE Day Through the Eyes of Those Who Were There (Atlantic Books: 2025), and Dying for the Nation: Death, Grief and bereavement in Second World War Britain (Manchester University Press: 2020) which make widespread use of Mass Observation.

War and Peace: Mass Observers and the end of the war in Europe, May 1945.

As the Second World War ground to an end in Europe in the spring of 1945 Mass Observation asked its panelists, many of whom had grown used to reflecting on their feelings about war over the past few years, to keep a diary detailing their experiences of what was known then as ‘Victory Day’ and subsequently as ‘VE Day’. However, many of these panelists had been writing for Mass Observation for many years, and had become used to recording not just what happened, but how they felt about it. The diaries kept for Mass Observation in the spring of 1945 thus give us not just a snapshot of Britain as it began to emerge from almost six years of conflict, but a valuable insight into the ways that Mass Observers were beginning to construct memories of those years, and their hopes and fears for the future. This talk explores some of these diaries and thinks about how people try to use the past to make sense of present and future in turbulent times.

Yves Fradier, Director of Survey and Methods (Verian)

Bio: Yves is Director of Evidence at Verian in France, with over 20 years of experience managing large-scale survey projects. He specialises in a range of data collection methods, with focuses on engaging with seldom heard audiences.Together with Verian’s pan-European team, Yves launched Voice of Ukraine; the only longitudinal survey capturing the views, priorities, and challenges of displaced Ukrainians.

Living through war: Insights from displaced Ukrainians

Our pan-European team at Verian, including both public policy and evidence experts, continue to run the only longitudinal study designed to gather robust data and insights on the views, priorities and challenges facing displaced Ukrainian nationals who are now living in host countries across Europe.Since we started our Voice of Ukraine study in June 2022, we have conducted 10 waves of research, giving a voice to a group of people who loom large in the news but whose individual experiences are often not clearly heard or understood.Our longitudinal research programme covers three themes consistently across all research waves:

• The thoughts of displaced Ukrainians regarding their future plans,
• Their pathway to integration and how this has evolved,
• The Impact of War on Relationship Dynamics