Telling the stories of Colonial Populations in the French Resistance through self-guided heritage walking tours.
Research supervisor: Professor Nina Wardleworth
Project aims and objectives:
This project aims to use self-guided walking tours as a way of increasing public awareness and knowledge of the contributions of French colonial subjects during the Second World War. These tours aim not only to show where their resistance activities took place, but also to shed a light on the social aspects of their lives such as where they live and where they worked. This project will also highlight factors which may have motivated them to join the resistance and reveal the roles they played. Through the use of archival material, photographs, written material and recorded content, I will visualise the experiences lived by colonial citizens - whose stories are typically neglected.
I will begin this project by analysing the pre-existing materials which relate to the lives and methods of resistance of these men and women, which will increase my knowledge and establish a foundation that I can build upon to begin forming the walking tours. In order to successfully create engaging and cohesive walking tours, half-way through my research period I will travel to Paris. This will allow me to gather further materials (including audio, visual and archival) and explore sites around the capital and begin mapping routes for the tours. Finally, upon my return to Leeds, I will create the final output and record audio content. I will be using the app Echoes to culminate the tours.
Motivations:
I am an undergraduate student at the University of Leeds, and throughout my studies I have become engaged in various forms of French/Francophone history and literature. I was drawn to this project as it surrounds the lack of representation of colonial subjects - under-representation in society has always been something that has peaked my interest, made me want to learn more and actively participate in influencing positive change.
Context:
I am fortunate to be joining this project and work alongside fellow scholar @Thomas O'Rourke. Our project will contribute towards Nina Wardleworth's ongoing research project of identifying members of the French Internal Resistance during the Second World War and increasing public knowledge of their contributions. I am excited and grateful to add to the work of previous Laidlaw Scholars who (through various means such as podcasts and digital mapping) have worked towards the commemoration and memory of colonial citizens and subjects in the French Resistance.