- Scottish Civic Trust
The Tobacco Merchant's House
42 Miller Street
Glasgow, G1 1DT - 01412211466
Jennifer Novotny
University of Glasgow, School of Humanities: History, Department Member
- Arcadia University, The College of Global Studies, Department MemberUniversity of Glasgow, Centre for Open Studies, Department Memberadd
- Medical Humanities, Cultural History of the First World War, Scottish History, First World War, Disability History, Material Culture Studies, and 11 moreHistorical Archaeology, Eighteenth-Century British History and Culture, Conflict Archaeology, Archaeology of the Contemporary Past, 18th Century, Battlefield Archaeology, Scottish Studies, Eighteenth Century History, Public History, Public Archaeology, and Community archaeology and heritage interpretationedit
- I am a Research Affiliate in History at the University of Glasgow, a tutor on the University of Glasgow Centre for Op... moreI am a Research Affiliate in History at the University of Glasgow, a tutor on the University of Glasgow Centre for Open Studies course Archaeology of Medieval and Post-Medieval Archaeology of Scotland, an instructor on Arcadia University's summer course Scottish History to the Present Day, and Project Officer for the Scottish Civic Trust's Diverse Heritage initiative. Diverse Heritage aims to get people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities excited about heritage, working together to care for the past while learning from one another. Through co-designed workshops, activities, and events, Diverse Heritage brings together people to create strategies for more inclusive local heritage that celebrates our shared past.
My past projects include 'Justice, Not Charity' a community research project in partnership with Disability History Scotland exploring the 1920 National League of the Blind protest march to London, funded by the AHRC's Voices of War and Peace community engagement fund; and 'They don't want your charity - they demand their chance': The socio-economic rehabilitation of WWI wounded at Erskine Hospitals. Funded by a Wellcome Trust Research Bursary, I investigated the ways in which facilities like Erskine (originally the Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers) met the socio-economic challenges of WWI, specifically physically and vocationally rehabilitating wounded service personnel to re-join the workforce. From 2014-2016 I was Research Assistant on Glasgow University's Great War, a research project marking the First World War centenary by examining the experiences of the university community 1914-18.
I am a member of the Glasgow University Medical Humanities Research Network and the AHRC Voices of War and Peace network.edit
European Heritage Days are an opportunity to celebrate the shared cultural heritage of the many different towns, regions, and people in Europe. Every year there is a theme for European Heritage Days, which all participating countries are... more
European Heritage Days are an opportunity to celebrate the shared cultural heritage of the many different towns, regions, and people in Europe. Every year there is a theme for European Heritage Days, which all participating countries are encouraged to adopt for their programmes. This document will help you think about how to deliver your 2021 programme based on the theme of Inclusive Heritage, by offering some examples of projects that have engaged diverse audiences.
Research Interests:
Tips and case studies for inclusive and accessible events and activities. This toolkit is the result of a research and development project in 2019/2020 supported by European Heritage Days funding through the Council of Europe and the... more
Tips and case studies for inclusive and accessible events and activities.
This toolkit is the result of a research and development project in 2019/2020 supported by European Heritage Days funding through the Council of Europe and the European Commission. It was led by a research partnership comprising Scottish Civic Trust’s Doors Open Days National Coordinator Nicola Godsal and Diverse Heritage Officer Jennifer Novotny, and The National Trust’s Heritage Open Days’ Head of Producing Annie Reilly and draws on the experience and input of other European Heritage Days’ National Coordinators and a range of partners and participants.
This toolkit was compiled by Leo Hamilton, a member of Tripod - Training for Creative Social Action's Pool of Trainers. The facilitation tools and methods have been developed by Leo and other members of Tripod, drawing on the rich history of anti-oppressive Facilitation.
Its layout and design was done by Zoe M Bouhassira.
This toolkit is the result of a research and development project in 2019/2020 supported by European Heritage Days funding through the Council of Europe and the European Commission. It was led by a research partnership comprising Scottish Civic Trust’s Doors Open Days National Coordinator Nicola Godsal and Diverse Heritage Officer Jennifer Novotny, and The National Trust’s Heritage Open Days’ Head of Producing Annie Reilly and draws on the experience and input of other European Heritage Days’ National Coordinators and a range of partners and participants.
This toolkit was compiled by Leo Hamilton, a member of Tripod - Training for Creative Social Action's Pool of Trainers. The facilitation tools and methods have been developed by Leo and other members of Tripod, drawing on the rich history of anti-oppressive Facilitation.
Its layout and design was done by Zoe M Bouhassira.
Research Interests:
In 1916, the foundation of the Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers (still in existence today as Erskine), on the banks of the River Clyde in Scotland, was a direct response to the need for specialised... more
In 1916, the foundation of the Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers (still in existence today as Erskine), on the banks of the River Clyde in Scotland, was a direct response to the need for specialised medical facilities to deal with the unprecedented number of injured service personnel returning from the Great War. At the hospital, the West of Scotland medical and industrial communities came together to mend broken bodies with prosthetic technology, as well as physical and mental rehabilitation to prepare the limbless to re-enter the job market. This paper explores the establishment of manual therapy workshops at Erskine and how such programmes of vocational rehabilitation were culturally informed by the concerns and anxieties of both the military and civilian populations of the First World War-era.
Open access full text available via Wellcome Open Research.
Open access full text available via Wellcome Open Research.
Research Interests:
Chapter in Living with Jacobitism, 1690-1788: the Three Kingdoms and Beyond, edited by Allan MacInnes, Kieran German, and Lesley Graham (2014). In 18th-century Scotland, conflict permeated beyond the boundaries of the fields of... more
Chapter in Living with Jacobitism, 1690-1788: the Three Kingdoms and Beyond, edited by Allan MacInnes, Kieran German, and Lesley Graham (2014).
In 18th-century Scotland, conflict permeated beyond the boundaries of the fields of battle. A lengthy political war was waged at hearthside and in the home, as well as in the new social spaces of coffee houses, clubs and pubs. Thus the material culture of the Jacobite wars includes not only swords, pistols and targes, but also teapots and toddy ladles. As Richards (1999) asserts, '... at times of social discord the artefacts which support polite and civilised structures can be utilised when such structures start to unravel, and the artefacts themselves turned to destructive purposes.' Here this destructive (i.e. bellicose) capacity is explored, but alongside a capacity for these artefacts to simultaneously offer material rallying points for unified political identities and shared social values. By examining politicised domestic items alongside the traditionally understood artefacts of conflict - that is weapons and battlefield finds - it is possible to tease out a more subtle way of understanding how war was waged. This holistic look at the material culture of the Jacobite era enables a fuller picture to be drawn, reintegrating political turmoil and everyday life in Scotland by examining a wide range of material culture created and collected not only by Stuart supporters, but also Williamites and Hanoverians.
In 18th-century Scotland, conflict permeated beyond the boundaries of the fields of battle. A lengthy political war was waged at hearthside and in the home, as well as in the new social spaces of coffee houses, clubs and pubs. Thus the material culture of the Jacobite wars includes not only swords, pistols and targes, but also teapots and toddy ladles. As Richards (1999) asserts, '... at times of social discord the artefacts which support polite and civilised structures can be utilised when such structures start to unravel, and the artefacts themselves turned to destructive purposes.' Here this destructive (i.e. bellicose) capacity is explored, but alongside a capacity for these artefacts to simultaneously offer material rallying points for unified political identities and shared social values. By examining politicised domestic items alongside the traditionally understood artefacts of conflict - that is weapons and battlefield finds - it is possible to tease out a more subtle way of understanding how war was waged. This holistic look at the material culture of the Jacobite era enables a fuller picture to be drawn, reintegrating political turmoil and everyday life in Scotland by examining a wide range of material culture created and collected not only by Stuart supporters, but also Williamites and Hanoverians.
Research Interests:
A review essay looking at Digging the Trenches: the archaeology of the Western Front by Andrew Robertshaw & David Kenyon (Pen & Sword Military: Barnsley, 2008), but more widely reflecting upon the current state of publications on First... more
A review essay looking at Digging the Trenches: the archaeology of the Western Front by Andrew Robertshaw & David Kenyon (Pen & Sword Military: Barnsley, 2008), but more widely reflecting upon the current state of publications on First World War archaeology.
A public talk given at the University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel on 6 May 2016 commemorating the individuals from the University of Glasgow who fought in the First World War's most famous sea engagement. Also looking at some of the... more
A public talk given at the University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel on 6 May 2016 commemorating the individuals from the University of Glasgow who fought in the First World War's most famous sea engagement. Also looking at some of the Clyde-built ships involved in the battle.
Research Interests:
This talk examines the traditional healing ceremonies for the King’s Evil (scrofula) that were once performed by sitting monarchs, which were continued by the exiled Stuarts. I will explore the appropriation of this religious tradition... more
This talk examines the traditional healing ceremonies for the King’s Evil (scrofula) that were once performed by sitting monarchs, which were continued by the exiled Stuarts. I will explore the appropriation of this religious tradition for political ends, specifically, the Stuarts’ use of the healing ceremony and its paraphernalia as a way to legitimise their claims to the throne. I will also reflect upon the specially-minted touchpieces that served an important role in the healing (and propaganda) process. Talk given to the Scottish Church History Society. 25 November 2015.
Research Interests:
Talk given at the Mitchell Library on 10/10/2015 as part of Scottish Military Research Group military history open day. It looked at the First World War Battle of Loos (25/9/1915), as illustrated by the stories of some of the students,... more
Talk given at the Mitchell Library on 10/10/2015 as part of Scottish Military Research Group military history open day. It looked at the First World War Battle of Loos (25/9/1915), as illustrated by the stories of some of the students, staff, and members of the Officer’s Training Corp from the University of Glasgow.
Research Interests:
A brief post about AA Bowman, Chair of Moral Philosophy at the University of Glasgow from 1926-36, his experiences in the First World War, and his post-war support for the League of Nations.
Research Interests:
Talk given at University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel on 24 April 2015 exploring the University of Glasgow's connections to the Gallipoli campaign.
Research Interests:
Address given to the University Royal Naval Unit, University of Glasgow, 22 May 2015, looking at the contribution of Glasgow individuals and industries to the famous WWI naval battle.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
When members of Edinburgh’s LGBT Health & Wellbeing QTIPOC (Queer Transgender Intersex People of Colour) group were asked if there were any historic places or heritage spaces in the city where they felt that they belonged, one person... more
When members of Edinburgh’s LGBT Health & Wellbeing QTIPOC (Queer Transgender Intersex People of Colour) group were asked if there were any historic places or heritage spaces in the city where they felt that they belonged, one person said, “I don’t know where to place myself”, being pulled between her identity as a queer woman and as a woman of colour. This comment led the Scottish Civic Trust and Scotland’s Urban Past to embark on a series of activities in partnership with LGBTQIA+ groups in Edinburgh, Ayr, Glasgow, and Dundee to identify and record queer heritage and explore how individuals think about complex and competing identities. We asked groups to reflect on spaces and places where they felt able to embrace different parts of their identities. Where could they connect to
the past and the present? Were there locations where they felt they could be wholly themselves? The results were emotional and personal, ranging from heartbreaking to hilarious. This talk shares information about activities conducted from 2018 to the present: the methods trialled, information recorded, lessons learned, and how sitting around a map together can lead to meaningful conversations.
A link to the recording of the full session, Everyday in the City, appears below. My talk is from 04.05 - 23.24.
the past and the present? Were there locations where they felt they could be wholly themselves? The results were emotional and personal, ranging from heartbreaking to hilarious. This talk shares information about activities conducted from 2018 to the present: the methods trialled, information recorded, lessons learned, and how sitting around a map together can lead to meaningful conversations.
A link to the recording of the full session, Everyday in the City, appears below. My talk is from 04.05 - 23.24.
Research Interests:
When members of Edinburgh’s LGBT Health and Wellbeing QTIPOC (Queer Transgender Intersex People of Colour) group were asked if there were any historic places or heritage spaces in the city where they felt that they belonged, one person... more
When members of Edinburgh’s LGBT Health and Wellbeing QTIPOC (Queer Transgender Intersex People of Colour) group were asked if there were any historic places or heritage spaces in the city where they felt that they belonged, one person said, “I don’t know where to place myself”, being pulled between her identity as a queer woman and as a woman of colour. The Scottish Civic Trust and Scotland’s Urban Past are co-designing a pilot project with LGBTQIA+ groups across Scotland to identify and record the country’s queer heritage and explore how individuals think about complex and competing identities. This paper will share the results of a half-day workshop to create a community map of Edinburgh to highlight spaces where members of the QTIPOC group feel that they can embrace different parts of their identities, where they can connect to the past and the present, and offer a way to locate places where participants feel like they can be wholly themselves
Research Interests:
The foundation of the Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers (still in existence today as Erskine) on the banks of the River Clyde in 1916 was a direct response to the need for specialised medical facilities... more
The foundation of the Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers (still in existence today as Erskine) on the banks of the River Clyde in 1916 was a direct response to the need for specialised medical facilities to deal with the unprecedented number of injured service personnel returning from the Great War. At the Princess Louise Scottish Hospital, the West of Scotland medical and industrial communities came together to mend broken bodies and minds with prosthetic technology (e.g. the Erskine limb), as well as physical and mental rehabilitation to prepare the limbless to re-enter the job market.
This paper explores the materiality of health and wellness at the hospital during the war years, from the tools and materials used in the design and manufacture of artificial limbs, to the manual therapy workshops and other curative spaces created at Erskine House.
Presented at 9th Biennial Fields of Conflict Conference, Dublin, 22-5 September 2016.
This paper explores the materiality of health and wellness at the hospital during the war years, from the tools and materials used in the design and manufacture of artificial limbs, to the manual therapy workshops and other curative spaces created at Erskine House.
Presented at 9th Biennial Fields of Conflict Conference, Dublin, 22-5 September 2016.
Research Interests:
This paper explores the recruitment of University of Glasgow students, graduates, and alumni at the outbreak of the First World War, with special attention to the University Officer's Training Corps and university women. Presented at... more
This paper explores the recruitment of University of Glasgow students, graduates, and alumni at the outbreak of the First World War, with special attention to the University Officer's Training Corps and university women. Presented at Business As Usual?: Institutional Impact in the First World War conference, 2 March 2016. Presented with Tony Pollard.
Research Interests:
Since the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, the University of Glasgow has collected information on the wartime service of our community. Crowdsourcing in 1914 was done by postcard, collecting newspaper obituaries and by word of mouth.... more
Since the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, the University of Glasgow has collected information on the wartime service of our community. Crowdsourcing in 1914 was done by postcard, collecting newspaper obituaries and by word of mouth. That data was brought together in several published editions of a Roll of Honour between 1915 and 1922. The postcards and manuscript indices were preserved in the University Archive and are now digitised as an important tool for centenary remembrance activities and academic research.
In 2005 the University Archives made a digital Roll of Honour available online and began the process of compiling biographies to reveal the individual stories of the seven hundred and sixty men and one woman who fell in the Great War, and the thousands more who served and survived. Stories have trickled in via email and letter ever since.
The widespread interest in the University's Roll of Honour, even more visible during the centenary, has made us question our definition of the University community. The online crowd submitting information today can be both temporally and geographically far removed from 1914-18. Furthermore, our digital crowd-sourcing initiatives seem to work best when married with analogue events anchored in the physical space of the University of Glasgow.
Lessons learned from a century of crowdsourcing initiatives will be shared in this paper, including the real-world challenges of supporting today's virtual volunteers and citizen researchers.
In 2005 the University Archives made a digital Roll of Honour available online and began the process of compiling biographies to reveal the individual stories of the seven hundred and sixty men and one woman who fell in the Great War, and the thousands more who served and survived. Stories have trickled in via email and letter ever since.
The widespread interest in the University's Roll of Honour, even more visible during the centenary, has made us question our definition of the University community. The online crowd submitting information today can be both temporally and geographically far removed from 1914-18. Furthermore, our digital crowd-sourcing initiatives seem to work best when married with analogue events anchored in the physical space of the University of Glasgow.
Lessons learned from a century of crowdsourcing initiatives will be shared in this paper, including the real-world challenges of supporting today's virtual volunteers and citizen researchers.
Research Interests:
Paper given at the second Scottish Religious Cultures Network conference, 28 May 2015, Queen's University Belfast. In 1688 James II/VII fled to France after his deposition from power. Subsequent would-be Stuart monarchs spent the next... more
Paper given at the second Scottish Religious Cultures Network conference, 28 May 2015, Queen's University Belfast.
In 1688 James II/VII fled to France after his deposition from power. Subsequent would-be Stuart monarchs spent the next 60 years attempting to regain the British throne, generating a wide ranging body of politicised material culture in the process. Throughout the past 300 years in exhibition catalogues, museum interpretations, and personal writings, such objects have been written and spoken of as ‘relics’. Though the words artefact and relic are technically synonymous, it is impossible to overlook the religious connotations of the word relic; it suggests more than a mere physical remainder, but rather an object with an aura of sanctity.
This paper considers the blurring of the secular and sacred as artefacts from the Jacobite era become entangled with quasi-religious and folk beliefs. The blood-soaked cloth of a martyred king could heal, while a trampled sporran recovered from the battlefield of Culloden was no longer an ordinary sartorial accessory, but rather a silent witness imbued with transformative power.
The artefacts of the Jacobite wars engaged, and continue to engage, in the process of memory work, recording and interpreting events and propagating viewpoints across centuries. Interrogating what transforms these otherwise unremarkable artefacts into relics that offer a visceral connection to the past provides insight into their place in their contemporary period, as well as their relevance in today’s society.
In 1688 James II/VII fled to France after his deposition from power. Subsequent would-be Stuart monarchs spent the next 60 years attempting to regain the British throne, generating a wide ranging body of politicised material culture in the process. Throughout the past 300 years in exhibition catalogues, museum interpretations, and personal writings, such objects have been written and spoken of as ‘relics’. Though the words artefact and relic are technically synonymous, it is impossible to overlook the religious connotations of the word relic; it suggests more than a mere physical remainder, but rather an object with an aura of sanctity.
This paper considers the blurring of the secular and sacred as artefacts from the Jacobite era become entangled with quasi-religious and folk beliefs. The blood-soaked cloth of a martyred king could heal, while a trampled sporran recovered from the battlefield of Culloden was no longer an ordinary sartorial accessory, but rather a silent witness imbued with transformative power.
The artefacts of the Jacobite wars engaged, and continue to engage, in the process of memory work, recording and interpreting events and propagating viewpoints across centuries. Interrogating what transforms these otherwise unremarkable artefacts into relics that offer a visceral connection to the past provides insight into their place in their contemporary period, as well as their relevance in today’s society.
Research Interests:
In 1688 James VII (II) fled to France after the Glorious Revolution. The exiled Stuart monarchs spent the next 60 years attempting to regain the British throne. One of the (many) ways in which the Stuarts sought to retain influence and... more
In 1688 James VII (II) fled to France after the Glorious Revolution. The exiled Stuart monarchs spent the next 60 years attempting to regain the British throne. One of the (many) ways in which the Stuarts sought to retain influence and inspire loyalty amongst their followers was through the continuation of healing ceremonies. From the time of Edward the Confessor, monarchs were believed to be able to heal ‘the King’s evil’, or scrofula (Tuberculous adenitis), by their touch. Throughout the centuries, this ceremony developed into a highly scripted series of actions and recitations. Integral to the process of healing, however, was a specially minted touchpiece of precious metal.
This paper explores the appropriation of religious practise for political ends, specifically, the Stuarts’ use of the healing ceremony and its paraphernalia as a way to legitimise their claims to the throne. Furthermore, it examines how this religious event is mediated by a specific piece of material culture: the touchpiece. It will reflect upon the nuanced role of the touchpiece both as a religious tool and as a powerful piece of propaganda in order to shed light upon these fascinating yet neglected artefacts.
This paper explores the appropriation of religious practise for political ends, specifically, the Stuarts’ use of the healing ceremony and its paraphernalia as a way to legitimise their claims to the throne. Furthermore, it examines how this religious event is mediated by a specific piece of material culture: the touchpiece. It will reflect upon the nuanced role of the touchpiece both as a religious tool and as a powerful piece of propaganda in order to shed light upon these fascinating yet neglected artefacts.
Reflecting upon a year of running the Facebook page ‘Love Archaeology at Glasgow University’, this paper explores how a proactive but small departmental social page went global, generating merchandise and creating an international... more
Reflecting upon a year of running the Facebook page ‘Love Archaeology at Glasgow University’, this paper explores how a proactive but small departmental social page went global, generating merchandise and creating an international community unique to online space. We reflect upon that community, and how and when it mobilises, exploring both the successes and frictions which emerged from the destabilisation of the normal real world power structures behind the Facebook group. We discuss in practical terms how such communities are created and maintained, both through intentional practices and those that emerge unexpectedly from social interactions. By comparison with our less successful Twitter page, we demonstrate how successes and failures can informed our understanding of Love Archaeology’s audience needs. It is this kind of reflexivity which is essential to creating and maintaining meaningful levels of participation in social networking endeavours. These online spaces are ever changing and require unique management and administration. Their collaborative and decentralised nature
also gives rise to equally unique problems. To assist others treading the same ground, we seek to unpack our experiences, exploring the kind of data Facebook can collect for its users, and to highlight how archaeologists can use such data to improve future forays into the social networking revolution.
also gives rise to equally unique problems. To assist others treading the same ground, we seek to unpack our experiences, exploring the kind of data Facebook can collect for its users, and to highlight how archaeologists can use such data to improve future forays into the social networking revolution.
This paper explores the connections between materiality, memory and war by examining domestic objects from the period of the Jacobite risings, 1688-1760. It is part of a larger research project to survey a range of artefacts, including... more
This paper explores the connections between materiality, memory and war by examining domestic objects from the period of the Jacobite risings, 1688-1760. It is part of a larger research project to survey a range of artefacts, including ceramics, snuffboxes, objects of drinking culture and items of personal dress, adornment and textiles. How do these objects become an extension of conflict, acting as agents of political expression as well as aesthetic taste, as war moves from the battlefield into the home? Williamite, Hanoverian and Jacobite items are juxtaposed alongside one another to contextualise them within their contemporary milieu, but modern display and interpretation are also considered, highlighting the ways in which these objects continue to operate as tangible manifestations of individual and cultural memory that inform the ways in which we understand the Jacobite wars.
Business as Usual? Institutional Impact in the First World War 2 March 2016, University of Glasgow This day conference will bring together researchers from a variety of disciplines to examine the role of institutional involvement in an... more
Business as Usual? Institutional Impact in the First World War
2 March 2016, University of Glasgow
This day conference will bring together researchers from a variety of disciplines to examine the role of institutional involvement in an individual’s experience of the First World War. We will consider submissions for all types of institution from educational establishments, churches, professional bodies, clubs and societies, to commercial and industrial companies and other workplaces.
The remit is wide-ranging and we welcome submissions from academic researchers in subjects like History, Archaeology, Sociology, Anthropology, and Theology, as well as individuals working in cultural heritage management, museums, archives, schools, corporate history, and community research projects.
Abstracts of no more than 300 words should be sent to Jennifer.Novotny@glasgow.ac.uk by Monday, 4 January 2016.
Suggested themes include, but are not limited to, the following:
• mobilisation and recruitment at institutions, from obstruction to encouragement to outright coercion
• incidence of colleagues joining up together and the impact this has on the institutional community
• what life was like for those left behind in the institutional environment
• how institutions coped (or failed to cope) during the war years
• resuming life (or not) within the institutional community after demobilisation
• changes and adaptations within institutions due to war, such as shifting demographics or policy changes
• institutional relationships with all members of their internal communities, from soldiers at the front to conscientious objectors and non-combatant and “enemy aliens”
• commemoration and memorialisation of individuals within an institutional community.
2 March 2016, University of Glasgow
This day conference will bring together researchers from a variety of disciplines to examine the role of institutional involvement in an individual’s experience of the First World War. We will consider submissions for all types of institution from educational establishments, churches, professional bodies, clubs and societies, to commercial and industrial companies and other workplaces.
The remit is wide-ranging and we welcome submissions from academic researchers in subjects like History, Archaeology, Sociology, Anthropology, and Theology, as well as individuals working in cultural heritage management, museums, archives, schools, corporate history, and community research projects.
Abstracts of no more than 300 words should be sent to Jennifer.Novotny@glasgow.ac.uk by Monday, 4 January 2016.
Suggested themes include, but are not limited to, the following:
• mobilisation and recruitment at institutions, from obstruction to encouragement to outright coercion
• incidence of colleagues joining up together and the impact this has on the institutional community
• what life was like for those left behind in the institutional environment
• how institutions coped (or failed to cope) during the war years
• resuming life (or not) within the institutional community after demobilisation
• changes and adaptations within institutions due to war, such as shifting demographics or policy changes
• institutional relationships with all members of their internal communities, from soldiers at the front to conscientious objectors and non-combatant and “enemy aliens”
• commemoration and memorialisation of individuals within an institutional community.