military in society

Celebrate or commemorate? The Department for Education and VE Day

The DfE's recent communication to schools about the 70th anniversary of VE Day on 8 May suggests that schools 'will want to celebrate and commemorate' the event. This is the third set of learning materials promoted by the DfE within the past year around military issues. Do 'celebrations' around remembrance events inevitably drown out the more cautious messages about the price of victory?

Questions for general election candidates about the military and young people

Here we provide two sample questions that you can ask candidates as well as key points and further sources of information. You can find your candidates contact details using https://yournextmp.com/. Let us know if you get any responses!

A critical response to ‘The British Armed Forces: Learning Resource 2014’

The report is published in conjunction with the video The British Armed Forces: Propaganda in the classroom? produced by Quaker Peace & Social Witness. This report explains why the British Armed Forces Learning Resource (published in September 2014 by the Prime Minister's Office) is a poor quality educational resource, and exposes the resource as a politically-driven attempt to promote recruitment into the armed forces and “military values” in schools.

The British Armed Forces: Propaganda in the classroom?

Produced by Quaker Peace & Social Witness. To accompany the ForcesWatch report A critical response to 'The British Armed Forces: Learning Resource 2014'

YouGov poll finds that Britons tend to think less of the Army’s importance the younger they are

As the British Army struggles to recruit new soldiers, YouGov polling finds that Britons tend to think less of the army's importance the younger they are.

Military Recruitment, Work & Culture in the South Wales Valleys

This article explores how social and cultural life in the south Wales valleys, an area of economic deprivation within Britain, has been shaped by the British military and militarism, in ways that are both specific to the area and shared with other regions throughout the country.

How ought war to be remembered in schools

David Aldridge examines the reasons usually advanced for involving children and young people in commemorating the war dead, and finds many of them wanting. He critically examines the high profile in schools of charities, like the Royal British Legion, with vested interests in certain kinds of commemoration. And he argues forcefully for a justification of remembrance in schools that requires a major rethink of established rituals and practices.

Spectacle, Reality, Resistance: Confronting a culture of militarism

Security for the future: In search of a new vision

A group of UK peacebuilding professionals invite you to participate in a new civic conversation about alternatives to the current approach to national security. Here they outline their concerns about the existing model, and offer a different vision for the future, welcoming input from anyone who wishes to engage in this debate.

Militarising Communities: The Armed Forces Community Covenant

Vron Ware reports on how the Armed Forced Community Covenant is a crucial part of the creeping militarisation of UK society. This article was originally published in Red Pepper.