Featuring 15 thought - provoking exhibits 22–23 June 2018 The Summer Showcase is a free two-day festival celebrating the It’s my pleasure outstanding research in the humanities and social sciences, that shapes the to welcome you world in which we live. Taking place throughout our building, the to the British Showcase features 15 exhibits from some of the best humanities and social sciences scholars working across the UK. From exploring Sleep in Early Modern England to Flood Management in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, their exhibits help Academy’s first us to understand who we are, where we came from and where we are headed. You will have a unique opportunity to speak to our researchers and immerse yourself in their ever Summer subjects, whether that’s history or politics, music or anthropology. You can also take part in hands-on activities, listen to talks and enjoy a variety of activities at our Friday Late. Showcase. I hope you enjoy the Showcase and do visit our website to find out more about upcoming events: britishacademy.ac.uk Professor Sir David Cannadine President of the British Academy Opening times Fri 22–23 June, 11am–5pm Late night opening on Friday 22 June, 6.30–9pm © Benedict Johnson britishacademy.ac.uk | @britac_news 03 Are the Armed Forces Is working at home the key Find our exhibitors diverse enough? to equality for women? Ground Floor © Rooful Ali © Rooful Saunders © Leonora Muslims in the Military Double Lives: Working Motherhood in Twentieth-Century Britain Of the 3 million Muslims living in the UK today, it is estimated that only 550 serve in the Today, over 4 million people in the UK – British Armed Forces. Asma Mustafa’s exhibit including many mothers – regularly work examines why so few young Muslims consider from home. These Four Walls, a collaboration a career in the Armed Forces, particularly between Helen McCarthy and Leonora given the Ministry of Defence’s drive to Saunders, explores the different meanings of improve the diversity of its personnel, and high home-based work for women in Britain over unemployment among British Muslims. the past century through an exciting fusion of portrait photography and cutting-edge First historical research. Floor Dr Asma Mustafa — Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies/University of Oxford British Academy/Leverhulme Dr Helen McCarthy Small Research Grant 2015 — Queen Mary University of London British Academy Mid-Career Fellow 2017 The Lee Library Leonora Saunders Photographer and Artist The Lee Library 04 britishacademy.ac.uk/summershowcase britishacademy.ac.uk | @britac_news 05 What do we really know What does the history of How has America What do you about African art in masking tell us about youth, been depicted remember about reading European museums? politics and insecurity in Nigeria? in videogames? novels at school? Rediscovering the Arts and Heritage of Militant Masks: Youth, Performance Playing Cowboys and Criminals: Videogame Literature’s Lasting Impression: South Sudan in Italian Museums and Insecurity in Nigeria Depictions of the Frontier and Urban West What Makes Shared Reading of Novels Powerful? In the nineteenth century, Europeans began David Pratten gives an insight into the lives John Wills’s research explores depictions of to travel to the territory of what is now South of the Agaba masquerade based in the Niger America in popular videogames from the 1970s Most people remember ‘reading round Sudan. They returned with over twenty Delta region. His exhibit tells a story about onwards, focusing on ‘Wild West’ titles such as the class,’ where students join in or share thousand objects, which were deposited in members’ masquerade traditions, and why The Oregon Trail (1971), an educational adventure reading of a book under the guidance of a museums across Europe and almost forgotten. they continue to flourish today. While these used to teach the history of the frontier, as well as teacher. But does it really work? Drawing Zoe Cormack’s research focuses on the items masquerade performances – which feature games based on the modern American city, such as on memories and interviews with teachers brought back by Italian traders and explorers. music, carved masks and bold dance styles – LA Noire (2011). Drop in to play retro videogames and students, John Gordon invites visitors In collaboration with South Sudanese partners, are striking, the songs are witty laments that and find out more about how gaming has shaped to take part in shared reading activities and she has retraced the routes of these objects reflect on the insecurity of life for these young our view of history and culture. asks how we can nurture lasting pleasure and rediscovered thousands of treasures from men, and offer a critique of politics and the and interest in reading beyond school. Visitors to John's exhibit will have a chance to South Sudan in Italian museums. Her exhibit economic system in Nigeria. play classic videogames. One of these will be explores what historic arts and heritage could suitable for those age 14+ only. mean today, as South Sudan grapples with a Dr John Gordon history of conflict and division. Dr David Pratten —University of East Anglia —University of Oxford British Academy Mid-Career Fellow 2016 British Academy/Leverhulme Dr John Wills —University of Kent No.11 Reception Small Research Grant 2015 Dr Zoe Cormack British Academy/Leverhulme —University of Oxford The Reading Room Small Research Grant 2015 Postdoctoral Research Associate at The British Institute in Eastern Africa; No.11 Reception Rome Fellow at the British School at Rome The Lee Library 06 britishacademy.ac.uk/summershowcase britishacademy.ac.uk | @britac_news 07 How does your Why would you What happens to Musical archives: appearance reflect deliberately design a our bodies when What goes in, and your lifestyle habits? disabled artificial limb? we play music? what is left out? © Hugh Mdlalose © Hugh Perceptions of Health Engineering the Imagination: The Breath of Music: Investigating South African Jazz Cultures and the Archive Disability, Prostheses and the Body Respiration in Indian Music Performance High profile campaigns urge us to stop Various efforts to document, categorise and smoking, drink less and eat our ‘5-a-day’. Hands are one of the most expressive parts Making music, whether vocal or instrumental, archive jazz music in South Africa have been Yet health information alone does not of the body, yet prosthetic models tend to is a physical act usually undertaken with made in recent years. While this work is seem to encourage us to adopt a healthier be thought of in purely functional terms. To others. However, relatively little is known essential, there have been few opportunities for lifestyle. David Perrett and colleagues at the challenge this way of thinking, Stuart Murray about how performers coordinate and how the South African jazz community to explore University of St Andrews explore a new and team have deliberately constructed this is manifested in the body. The Breath of and respond to these initiatives. Bringing idea to improve our health – by appealing to artificial hands. They invite you to interact Music investigates respiration and heart rate together leading musicians and scholars, our vanity. Their exhibit includes surprising with the hands and explore the relationship data from Indian instrumental performers Jonathan Eato and Stephanus Muller’s research facts and interactive displays to show between disability design and the use of with the aim of discovering how these signals seeks to address this gap, and examine South how diet, exercise and lifestyle habits can prosthetics. Will thinking about hands as tools relate to musical structure and coordination Africa’s musical heritage from a range of improve our appearance, and even affect to express emotion help to improve assistive between musicians. Drop in to test your own different perspectives. how others see us. technologies for those with disabilities? musical abilities and find out how musicians from different cultures and musical traditions coordinate their behaviour while performing. Dr Jonathan Eato Professor David Perrett FBA Professor Stuart Murray — University of York — University of St Andrews — University of Leeds British Academy/Wolfson Research APEX Award 2017 Professor Martin Clayton Professor Stephanus Muller — Durham University — Africa Open Institute, Stellenbosch University Professorship 2009–2012 The Wolfson Room British Academy/Leverhulme Newton Advanced Fellowship Grant 2015 The Wolfson Room Small Research Grant 2016 Nduduzo Makhathini The Wolfson Room Pianist, Composer, and Researcher University of Fort Hare Find out when award-winning South African jazz pianist Nduduzo Makhathini will perform on P14. The Music Room 08 britishacademy.ac.uk/summershowcase britishacademy.ac.uk | @britac_news 09 Was the 2011 How can people live safely What can our How can medieval studies Syrian uprising an in coastal areas under ancestors teach us contribute to the debate on agrarian revolt? conditions of climate change? about sleeping well? the existence of Planet Nine? © Andy McCrea McCrea © Andy Agriculture, Pastoralism and Settlement in Proactively Living with Floods: Sleep in Early Modern England Before and After Halley: Medieval Contemporary Syria: The Deep Past to the Developing New Approaches to Flood Visions of Modern Science Modern Conflict in the Fertile Crescent Management in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta Sleep in Early Modern England is the first in-depth investigation of the history of sleep. Before and After Halley explores, for the first Until the mid-2000s, the livelihoods of around Flooding is a regular part of life for the people It reveals how our ancestors approached time, how medieval records of comets can be 50% of Syria’s population depended on farming. in tropical river deltas, yet climate change and bedtime, the fascinating rituals that used to test the theory that our solar system Yet by 2011, drought and failed agricultural growing infrastructure needs have increased bookended sleep, and the powerful religious may include an additional, undiscovered policies resulted in just 10% being able to make the risk of serious incidents.