In British schools the First World War, narrowly defined, remains a pillar of the history curriculum. Meanwhile the British Establishment continues to exploit a WWI-centred culture of memory as a screen on which to project contemporary anxieties – so much so, Sam argues, that “it is not really history”. In this conversation, recorded on 1 May 2025, Jon asks Sam to explain the thinking behind his decision to start his new WWI module in 1908, and to reflect on how his students responded to a workshop on imagology, the critical study of community stereotypes. Sam also reflects on how his own research into the Balkans has been shaped by dialogue with Ottomanists, whose WWI chronology partly inspired that followed by his UEA module.

Something that struck home with the students was the rise of the security state. Bleak as it is, that’s what really resonated, given the Russian-Ukrainian war, and what appears to be happening in the United States. This demonstrates that these occurences have precedents, it’s not something that just begins with Nazi Germany or Stalin, you need to look further back into the past.

Episode 66 – Teaching the Greater War

Podcasts are published by TLP for the purpose of encouraging informed debate on the legacies of the events surrounding the Lausanne Conference. The views expressed by participants do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of TLP, its partners, convenors or members.