military in society

The Warrior Nation podcast

The Warrior Nation podcast is a deep dive into military affairs and the relationship between defence, the armed forces and civil society in modern Britain, produced and edited by ForcesWatch.

Interrogating British armed forces recruiting in contemporary times

In this lecture Professor Paul Higate from the University of Bath looks at the ways in which ‘British values’ have helped to obscure the militarised character of the nation, which is evident in its long history of the use of military violence abroad. Paul draws upon his service in the RAF to discuss the British Army’s recruitment campaign ‘This is Belonging’, the Home Office instigated ‘hostile environment’ and the racialised character of social policy more broadly. Read the lecture transcript.

War School film

A film about recent militarism and the battle for the hearts and minds of young people in the UK. The film follows the stories of Ben Griffin, former SAS soldier and founder of Veterans for Peace UK, and Quaker activist Sam Walton, and features the work of ForcesWatch and partner organisations. See war.school and related learning resources.

Martial Law and No-Deal War Games

The armed forces are engaging in 'war games', reservists will be mobilised and Brexit planners are reportedly looking at the possibility of martial law in the event of a no-deal. 

What is militarism?

While militarism has long been a central dynamic in British history, it has current manifestations that are particular to the present day. We look at key aspects of 'the new tide of militarisation' in the UK and list further sources of information on everyday militarism.

#ResistMilitarism on Armed Forces Day 2018

In the run up to Armed Forces Day on 30 June we provide background information on how this and other public events are part of a concerted effort to increase general support for the military amongst the public, stifle criticism and recruit young people. We list events that challenge the militarism of Armed Forces Day with messages of peace and resistance.

White Poppies for Schools

We have teamed up with the Peace Pledge Union to produce a White Poppy Schools Pack, which aims to explore Remembrance in a way that encourages critical thinking, and gives space for marginalised perspectives on war and peace. The learning resource can be read online here, or purchased from the Peace Pledge Union as a bigger pack including white poppies and white poppy leaflets.

Everyday Militarism poster

Military involvement in education and youth activities in the UK

This briefing summarises key elements of military involvement in education and youth activities in the UK. It covers the defence industry as well as the armed forces and Ministry of Defence. It outlines the main concerns this raises and how these concerns have been voiced so far.

Girl Guides defend controversial new deal with British army

Petition launched after members claim partnership with military runs counter to the Guides’ peace ethos