Voices of the Home Fronts: Reflections and legacies of the First World War

Join us for a lively exchange of ideas at this two-day conference which, through the use of unusual and underused
sources, such as material culture, will illuminate the histories of post-war societies, examine the impact of the
Armistice on everyday life, and explore life and society in the immediate aftermath of the war from national and
international perspectives.

With keynotes delivered by Professor Sophie de Schaepdrijver (University of Kent) and Richard Van Emden, the conference will bring together independent researchers, community groups, museum curators and academics to showcase recent research, generate dynamic discussion, and foster new collaborations both nationally and internationally.

The conference will explore four major themes through a series of presentations, workshops, roundtables and discussions:

• Reconciliation - the new normal?: We are looking for contributions examining domestic and public life, across the world, as society adjusted to men and women returning from war. We are also interested in the impact on and experience of children during this period.
• Revolution: As well as conscientious objection and political agitation, we want the conference to explore the subtleties of dissent socially, religiously, and culturally in those first months and years after the war. We are interested in contributions from the new nations forged from the First World War, and the impact of nation building on everyday life throughout the world.
• Remembrance: We want to explore issues such as cultural memory, as well as immediate matters including post-war riots, gender relations, food, and housing. We are interested in the material culture of the First World War and welcome its inclusion in proposals.
• Rebuilding: We want to examine the long-term impact of the war on the built environment and the rural landscape, and how that shaped everyday lives, from agriculture to community formation, from local industries to the natural world.

See the full programme here.

The conference is organised by The National Archives, Gateways to the First World War and the Everyday Lives in War Engagement Centres, on behalf of the five national World War One Engagement Centres funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

For more information on our First World War 100 programme, please visit: nationalarchives.gov.uk/first-world-war.

Please note: We will be introducing charges in our visitor car park later in 2018. Follow the link for further information