Host Researcher: Dr Kathryn Hurlock

Welcome to the Returning Soldier! The Returning Soldier is a collaborative network looking at the figure of the returning soldier or veteran from the ancient world to the modern day. It looks at how they coped with the experience of returning home, and how they were received and perceived by the people and communities they returned to. We study all aspects of veterans’ lives, from mental and physical health to depictions on film and television or in print, the return of veterans to active combat, veteran politics, the role of religion in veterans’ lives, and even the experiences of veteran animals.

This Research Internship is an opportunity to work on one of three areas: Veterans in Art, Veteran Religion, and Minority Veterans. This could involve researching images of veterans in posters of oil paintings, veteran pilgrimage in the 20th century or Roman religion and veterans, or debates over race and the treatment of veterans in the press. Whichever area you choose to concentrate on, you will research the existing sources to produce a bibliography for research, write blog entries for the Network’s website, and learn how to identify new areas for research.

At the end of the Internship with the Returning Soldier, you will have learned how to research in-depth, write for a public audience, and map new approaches to research. These are valuable skills for research projects you work on, particularly if you want to move on to postgraduate study. Writing for a public readership is also increasingly important whether you want to continue to research or employment after your degree.