The candidate will undertake oral history interviews with women involved in paramilitary activity during the Northern Ireland Troubles (1969-1998). In doing so it will consider the difference between the experiences of loyalist and republican women; consider changes in what women paramilitaries did and how they were perceived over the 30-year war; and analyse how the complex social and political situation in post-Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in NI has shaped women’s memories of paramilitary activism. In focusing on the gendered dynamics of remembering, narration and representation, the research will offer a new perspective on the war itself and on the politics of time and memory in NI since 1998.

Beyond the oral history interviews, and further developing questions about representation and memory, the project will engage with how the archival and historical record has framed women’s experiences of paramilitarism. It will consider the representation (or lack of representation) of these experiences in the broad field of Troubles-focused public history, museums, popular writing, documentaries and so on. This will involve both national and local frames of representation, across large public institutions like the Ulster Museum but also small, community-led museums and initiatives.

Working with a major national museum will be critical to the success of the project. Institutionally and in terms of the co-supervisor specifically, the IWM will provide the student with vital connections to community groups and heritage professionals in NI, which will also help to facilitate their oral history recruitment. Access and trust are critical when working in post-conflict settings like NI and drawing on established relationships (and the prestige of the IWM as an institution) will be extremely helpful here. The IWM will also provide the student with the possibility for professional development and training within the museum sector.

The key research questions are:

• How do loyalist and republican paramilitary women remember and narrate their experiences of the war? How do these experiences differ? How do they change over time?
• How have women paramilitaries from across the political spectrum been represented in museums and other sites of public history and memory, large and small?
• What effect does the contemporary political and social climate in the North, after the Belfast/GFA in 1998, have on narratives of women paramilitaries?
• How does this context shape or inform their oral testimonies?

Research with Imperial War Museums

This research studentship is one allocated to Imperial War Museums by the AHRC. The successful student will be expected to spend time conducting research and gaining relevant experience with the partner at both London and Duxford sites, as required.

The successful candidate will be encouraged to participate in professional development events and activities organised for all Collaborative Doctoral Partnership students who are registered with different universities and studying with cultural and heritage organisations across the UK. These activities are organised by a coordination team based at the V&A and are designed to provide CDP researchers with the knowledge, networks, and skills to thrive in their future careers.

Further information

We want to encourage the widest range of potential students to study for a CDP studentship and are committed to welcoming students from different backgrounds to apply. We particularly welcome applications from people of Global Majority backgrounds as they are currently underrepresented at this level in this area. 

The University of Strathclyde and the Imperial War Museum are committed to being inclusive and supportive in our recruitment processes. These may include but are not limited to:

• opportunity to speak with potential project supervisors at Strathclyde and the IWM about the project and the process
• opportunity to speak with contacts within Strathclyde and/or IWM regarding institutional support systems (e.g. neurodiversity, racial diversity and LGBTQIA+ networks, mental health support, support for carers)
• access to interview questions and an insight into the interview process (e.g. selection criteria used)
• opportunity to visit the relevant building and room prior to interview, as well as on-site guidance (demonstrating accessible routes and/or familiarity with building layouts for example)
• opportunity to speak with active CDP students to ask questions regarding student experience as part of the CDP scheme