Most of the records at The National Archives, UK were working documents used by the British government to support the running of state and empire. They bear witness to the long and continued struggle for self-determination and equality by different communities, as well as to the prejudice and injustice they have faced. At moments where groups have been considered ‘undesirable’ or a threat by the British state they may have been subject to individual or collective surveillance. This could come in a variety of forms from social monitoring framed as welfare, to active investigation into the activities, networks, and communications of individuals. The search to find the voices of the marginalised and their allies within these types of records prompts engagement with challenging questions about the nature of state archives and the lenses we might bring to such material.
In this full day workshop on-site at The National Archives, participants are invited to critically engage with case studies related to a broad range of 20th century surveillance records in The National Archives collection and to reflect on specific challenges in using this material. Participants in this workshop will benefit from the opportunity to contribute thoughts about their own live research projects, whether at the beginning of exploratory phases of research and/or already working with archival material.
The workshop will begin at 10am. Please arrive at 9.30am to have a cup of tea or coffee and put your bag in the cloakroom.
WHAT STUDENTS THIS MIGHT SUPPORT
This session might support students researching individuals and communities subject to surveillance in the 20th century including:
- Anti-colonial and anti-racist struggle in the UK and its colonies
- Queer individuals and communities
- Communities of colour in the UK
- Labour and protest movements
- Feminist movements
It will offer:
- Quick introduction to The National Archives and navigating the online catalogue Discovery
- An overview of legislation related to public records. Hear from one of our specialists on the processes that have determined how records are transferred to The National Archives, opened, redacted, closed or retained.
- Case studies on specific topics that explore different practices and histories of surveillance including records on individuals and communities
- Opportunities to discuss the complexities and nuances of using surveillance-type records held at The National Archives in your own research, in relation to research strategies and ethics
- Opportunity to meet and share perspectives with discuss with a cohort of researchers interested in those issues
Please also note that this workshop will not engage deeply with the records of the Special Operations Executive, GCHQ or MI6. For more information on engaging with the records of those organisations see our Research Guide on the Intelligence and Security Services.
Image: The National Archives, MEPO 31/21 (cropped)
