History@Portsmouth

University of Portsmouth's History Blog

Archive | Learning in Focus

Learning in Focus

WLA_vanda_Powder_flask_Adam_and_Eve

Material Culture – Adam and Eve Powder Flask, Austria ca. 1600

By on August 22, 2019 in Learning in Focus

Tom Underwood, a second year History student at the University of Portsmouth, has written the following blog entry on the Adam and Eve Powder Flask for the Introduction to Historical Research module. Tom discusses the flask’s importance as a marker of social standing in the Renaissance period. The module is co-ordinated by Dr Maria Cannon, Lecturer in Early Modern History at Portsmouth. In the Abrahamic religions Adam and Eve are the symbol of life, the creation of humankind, the genesis of man. Firearms, on the other hand, are representative of quite the opposite, death, destruction and a complete collapse of humanity that would not look entirely out of place in […]

Continue Reading 0
Student-work-placement-1

University and Museum Collaborations: History within and beyond the classroom

By on August 10, 2019 in Events, Learning in Focus, News, Public History, Research in Focus

In this blog, Dr Katy Gibbons and Dr Maria Cannon discuss the different ways in which the History team (both staff and students) at the University of Portsmouth have worked with the Mary Rose Museum, and highlight some ongoing and future projects. The History team at Portsmouth is very fortunate in having a number of award-winning museums on our doorstep, and staff and students benefit from this. Only 10 minutes walk from the History team at Milldam building is the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, and one of the museums housed here is the world-leading Mary Rose Museum. Now housed in a bespoke setting, the museum is able to offer an immersive […]

Continue Reading 0
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=F27E26207AB5C414B393D9DB7961FF5283461DC5&thid=OIP._zA_N4azPiO688hPqGZd8QEsDL&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fbestvaluesightseeing.files.wordpress.com%2F2012%2F09%2Fhms-belfast.jpg&exph=431&expw=635&q=hms+belfast&selectedindex=6&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=1,2,6

Heritage and Memory: HMS Belfast

By on July 29, 2019 in Learning in Focus, Public History

Ben Humphreys, a second year History student at the University of Portsmouth, has written the following blog entry on the museum ship HMS Belfast for the Introduction to Historical Research module. Ben considers why the ship was chosen for preservation and reveals that political factors likely played a key role in the decision-making process. The module is co-ordinated by Dr Maria Cannon, Lecturer in Early Modern History at Portsmouth. Heritage and memory have always had a political relationship. War museums and memorials almost exclusively portray a heroic tale of the machines and men (and increasingly women) who ‘served the nation,’ for which we should be grateful. As Gerder Lerner fears, […]

Continue Reading 0
D-Day sketch

Fear of the Unknown: An investigation into individual experiences of the D-Day campaign

By on June 25, 2019 in Learning in Focus, Public History

Cameron Meeten, third year History student at the University of Portsmouth, wrote the following blog entry on the research he and his fellow students undertook as part of a final year group research project. Along with fellow final year students Ian Atkins, Dom Coombs, Patrick Kelliher and Chris Kyprianou, Cameron looked at the ‘fear of the unknown’ felt by D-Day combatants in June 1944. As well as presenting their findings as part of the unit’s assessment, the students also gave a public presentation at the D-Day Story, Southsea. The final year group research unit is co-ordinated by Dr Rob James, Senior Lecturer in Cultural and Social History at Portsmouth. For […]

Continue Reading 0
aids-memorial-quilt-543892598-5a6e3b5e3418c60036a1120f

Heritage and Memory: The NAMES Project Quilt

By on June 7, 2019 in Learning in Focus

Sophie Loftus, a second year History student at the University of Portsmouth, has written the following blog entry on Cleve Jones’ NAMES Project Quilt for the Introduction to Historical Research module. Sophie discusses how the quilt acts as an important memorial to the people who lost their lives to AIDS, while at the same time challenging social and cultural understandings of the disease. The module is co-ordinated by Dr Maria Cannon, Lecturer in Early Modern History at Portsmouth. In 1989, activist Cleve Jones stood in front of the White House with a message. Jones stated: ‘We bring a quilt. We hope it will help people to remember. We hope it […]

Continue Reading 0
blog 2 image

Using Visual Sources: Photographs as historical documents

By on May 21, 2019 in Learning in Focus

Hannah Moase, a second year History student at the University of Portsmouth, has written the following blog entry on a photograph of the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage headquarters for the Introduction to Historical Research module. Hannah uses the photograph to discuss the benefits – and limitations – of these visual historical documents in helping us understand past societies. The module is co-ordinated by Dr Maria Cannon, Lecturer in Early Modern History at Portsmouth. The National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage (hereafter NAOWS) was founded in 1911 and was a key organisation in America that fought against the women’s suffrage campaign. [1] With so much history focused on the […]

Continue Reading 0