Rowan Thompson

@rowan-thompson.bsky.social

Historian of modern Britain. Former IHR Pearsall Fellow in Naval and Maritime History. Organised Militarism in Interwar Britain out now: https://uolpress.co.uk/book/organised-militarism-in-interwar-britain/

Delighted that this is finally public! So pleased to be working with @erikagaffney.bsky.social again & @dgb-mem.bsky.social ... Calling all Salts - do send us proposals for monographs & edited collections ⚓️⚓️⚓️

Erika Gaffney@erikagaffney.bsky.social · 2mo ago

New series announcement! Early Modern Maritime Humanities 1400-1800: Oceans in History & Culture Series Editors: @clairejowitt.bsky.social & John McAleer Publisher: @dgb-mem.bsky.social brill.com/page/forthco... Feel free to DM me with questions, or email me at Erika.Gaffney@degruyterbrill.com

A series announcement designed to look like the front cover of a book. The featured image is a painting in which two storm-tossed ships appear (a small one at left, a larger one at right).

CALL FOR PAPERS: Maritime histories from the margins, 1500-present, 11-12 November 2026. Share your proposals for an interdisciplinary conference co-convened by the Centre for Port Cities and Maritime Cultures, University of Portsmouth, and the Royal Museums Greenwich www.rmg.co.uk/call-papers-...

Call for Papers | Maritime Histories from the Margins: People, Places, and Practices, 1500–Present

An interdisciplinary conference co-convened by Royal Museums Greenwich and the Centre for Port Cities and Maritime Cultures, University of Portsmouth

rmg.co.uk

📢 CfP: Society for the History of War Conference 2026 📍 University of Limerick 🗓 26–27 Nov 2026 Papers & panels invited on all aspects of war & violence incl. gender, memory, civil wars, cultures of conflict, and lived experience. 🗓 Deadline: 3 July 2026 📩 SHOWconferences@gmail.com

CALL FOR PAPERS
***The deadline for paper and panel submissions is 3rd July 2026***
The Society for the History of War invites proposals for its Annual Conference:
The Conference is organised in collaboration with the University of Limerick and will be
held at the University of Limerick, Ireland, on 26-27 November 2026.
****
Keynote speaker:
Prof. Robert Gerwarth, University College Dublin, ‘Europe's Age of Civil Wars, 1917-
1949’

Proposals, either individual paper or panel proposals are welcome on any topic
addressing the history of war. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
Society for the History of War
• Government policies, domestic politics, and the conduct of war
• Warfare, irregular warfare, counterinsurgency, peacekeeping
• Globalising histories of war
• Empires, imperialism, war and violence
• Civil-military relations
• Militarism, military identities
• War, violence, emotions and senses
• Experiences of war and violence; war and the everyday
• Gender and war
• Media and the military
• Memory and commemoration
• Military cultures, military institutions, military landscapes
• Cultures of war and violence
• Representations of war and violence
• Civil wars
We would welcome early innovative and/or interdisciplinary methodological approaches
that highlight the range and complexity of challenges faced when studying violence and
war, as well as contributions by scholars who, although interested in the past, would not
call themselves historians.

SUBMISSION PROCESS
We welcome proposals for individual papers or for themed panels. Postgraduate
students are encouraged to participate in panels or to submit their own panel proposals
or individual papers. The conference is intended to offer a constructive environment in
which to present work in progress to a specialist audience.
Panels will last for 90 minutes each and should have three to four speakers, and a chair.
Each paper should be no longer than 15 minutes to leave sufficient time for discussion.
Individual paper proposals must include a paper title, a 300-word abstract of the paper,
and a one-page CV with current contact information / email address combined into a
single file. If accepted, individual papers will be assigned by the program committee to
Society for the History of War
an appropriate three to four person panel and assigned a chair. Speaking time per paper
will be 15 minutes.
Panel proposals must include a panel title and 300-word abstract summarizing the
theme of the panel; a paper title and a 300-word abstract for each proposed paper
proposed; and a one-page CV for each panellist, combined into a single file. Do note that
every panel must be chaired.
The deadline for proposals is 3rd July 2026. Please send all the relevant paperwork to
SHOWconferences@gmail.com making it clear that you are responding to this particular
CfP. The conference organisers will make a decision on the final programme by 31st
August 2026 at the latest.
We ask those organising panels to take diversity and gender balance seriously when
proposing their composition.

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Just published! Another new title in our ‘New Historical Perspectives’ series with @royalhistsoc.org and @ihr.bsky.social 🎉 ‘Organised Militarism in Interwar Britain’ by @rowan-thompson.bsky.social Read it or download it for free (or buy the print editions) at the link below 👇 #Skystorians #OA

University of London Press@uolpress.bsky.social · 6mo ago

The first full-length study of militarism and militaristic associational culture in interwar Britain publishes on Thursday. As part of our #NewHistoricalPerspectives series published with @ihr.bsky.social and @royalhistsoc.org, it's also #OpenAccess! uolpress.co.uk/book/organis...

To accompany his new book, Rowan also writes today for the RHS blog on the impact of the Navy and Air Leagues in maintaining militarism in Britain after 1918: bit.ly/3OJ53as The NHP series is supported by @ihr.bsky.social and @echistsoc.bsky.social. All 26 books are available OA bit.ly/4sBmIyC

Front page of RHS Blog post, 16 April 2026. Full text: In this post, Rowan Thompson introduces his new book — ‘Organised Militarism in Interwar Britain. The Navy League and the Air League of the British Empire’ — which is published in April 2026 in the Society’s ‘New Historical Perspectives’ series with University of London Press. ‘Organised Militarism’ demonstrates that martial and militaristic sentiment remained an important part of mainstream British political culture, despite the ravages of the First World War. Rowan’s monograph examines the aims and activities of the Navy League and the Air League of the British Empire – two extra-parliamentary organisations established to promote naval and aerial supremacy. In doing so, it shows how martial and militaristic sentiment remained prominent, despite the ravages of war. ‘Organised Militarism in Interwar Britain’ is the 26th title in the Society’s New Historical Perspectives series for early career historians. Rowan’s book, and all other titles in the series are published free, Open Access, and in paperback print.
Royal Historical Society@royalhistsoc.org · 6mo ago

Published today: 'Organised Militarism in Interwar Britain' by Rowan Thompson bit.ly/4syLgIz Rowan's new book is the 26th title in the Society's 'New Historical Perspectives' series for early career historians, published. Available Open Access and p/back print @uolpress.bsky.social #Skystorians

Front cover of 'Organised Militarism in Interwar Britain. The Navy League and the Air League of the British Empire', by Rowan Thompson

We are pleased to launch today a new funding programme for Fellows & Associate Fellows of the Society resident outside the UK & Ireland bit.ly/3PtDQZu Grants support research in UK / Irish archives for our international historians. Deadline 8 May to enable research from summer 2026 #Skystorians 1/2

Society launches new funding programme for International Fellows and Associate Fellows - RHS

The Royal Historical Society is pleased to launch a new programme, from today, to support the work of International Fellows and Associate Fellows. Recipients will be members of the Society, resident o...

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