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Newsletter: March 2025
Welcome to the Justice & Violence Studies @ Exeter Research Network newsletter
Thank you for being a valued member of the Network! We'd love to hear about your latest projects, publications, events, or any support you need. Just email justice-violencestudies@exeter.ac.uk
Contents:
EVENTS | NEWS | OPPORTUNITIES
Read on to discover more about our seminars, a Trauma-Informed Workshop and an Away Afternoon! You'll find updates on publications by network members and opportunities to join volunteer teams to review cold cases and support counter-terrorism investigations.
EVENTS
J&VS Network Seminar: Professor Esther Reed- Duty to deter? On dealing with tyrants in a nuclear age
Tuesday 20th May 15:00- 16:00 online VIA TEAMS Meeting ID: 310 177 581 570 Passcode: Fz6PN3CZ
Join us for a seminar with Professor Esther Reed, Professor of theological ethics and moral philosophy in the Department of Theology and Religion. Her talk examines a key weakness in modern (un)just war reasoning: the failure to adequately address tyrants possessing nuclear weapons. While Cold War nuclear ethics assumed rational decision-making, today’s deterrence strategies must account for the nature of tyranny. Drawing on Rebeccah L. Heinrichs’s Duty to Deter (2024), Reed warns against an overemphasis on targeting doctrine and warhead yield. Instead, she revisits classic (un)just war theorists to explore psychological and political strategies for countering tyrannical control. This talk challenges conventional deterrence models and calls for a deeper ethical understanding of nuclear power in the hands of despots.
Invitation: Justice and Violence Studies @Exeter Network – Away Afternoon
Wednesday, 4th June 12:00 to 17:00 at the Exeter Phoenix, Studio One.
This event aims to bring together network members, foster connections, and spark ideas for future collaboration. The afternoon will feature informal 5-minute presentations from members, offering an opportunity to showcase research interests and engage in discussion.
Additionally, the Network leadership will propose some key thematic areas of focus, designed to strengthen collaboration within the network. Your feedback will help shape these themes and guide future developments. What to expect:
- Short research presentations and discussions
- An opportunity to contribute to shaping network Themes
- Complimentary lunch and refreshments
- Networking drinks from 4-5pm
We hope you can join us. Please sign up HERE to register and to let us know if you would like to book a 5-minute presentation slot (spaces are limited, so register soon!). The presentation session is open to everyone but may be particularly of interest to PGRs and ECRs.
For any questions, please contact us at justice-violencestudies@exeter.ac.uk.
J&VS Network Workshop: Critical & Creative Approaches to Trauma-Informed
Thursday 5th June 10:00- 16:00 at the Exeter Phoenix.
This one-day workshop brings together academics, practitioners, artists, and the community sector to explore the complexities of trauma-informed research and practice. Through critical discussion and creative approaches, we will examine the purpose, evolution, and challenges of trauma-informed work across different settings.
We invite expressions of interest for short presentations (10-15 minutes) or other interventions that engage with themes such as:
- The aims and evolution of trauma-informed approaches
- Ethical dilemmas and tensions in practice
- Structural and state violence in trauma-informed work
- The role of creativity in response to trauma and self-care
This event is an opportunity to share knowledge, discuss best practices, and build connections with others in the field.
Please complete
THIS FORM to register to attend and to submit your expression of interest. The deadline for expressions of interest is Thursday 17th April 2025.
Please contact justice-violencestudies@exeter.ac.uk if you have any questions.
Organisers: Dr Emma Marshall, Dr Natalie Ohana, Lucía Guerrero (PhD candidate)
J&VS Research Network Seminar: Professor David Tollerton- Invoking the Holocaust in Relation to Contemporary Issues of Justice and Violence
Friday 13th June 14:00– 15:00 via TEAMS LINK Meeting ID: 360 891 934 619 Passcode: jd6iE6HV
The Justice & Violence Studies @Exeter Research Network invites you to a seminar with Professor David Tollerton, Associate Professor in Memory Studies and Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Holocaust and Genocide Studies (CIHGS) at the University of Exeter.
In this seminar Professor Tollerton will explore how the Holocaust is a key reference for understanding genocide, but its remembrance creates tensions between drawing lessons for the present and avoiding inappropriate comparisons, leading to ambiguity in its relevance to contemporary justice and violence.
If you are interested in presenting or hosting a future seminar please email justice-violencestudies@exeter.ac.uk
Share your events- we would love to share your events with other J&VS Network members. Please email justice-violencestudies@exeter.ac.uk
NEWS
Justice & Violence Studies Network Joins Bluesky!
We’re excited to announce that the Justice and Violence Studies Research Network is now on Bluesky!
Please follow us at https://bsky.app/profile/justiceandviolence.bsky.social to stay updated as we work to connect researchers across the University.
Calling All PGR Members!
Are you a PGR member of the J&VS Network? We want to hear from you! Let us know what you’d like to see from the Network and share any questions you have by emailing Lucía Guerrero Rivière, PhD Student lg562@exeter.ac.uk
The Defence, Security, and Resilience Compendium
A collection of nine essays from researchers within the Exeter Defence, Security and Resilience @Exeter Research Network offers insights for UK policymakers on nuclear forces, Iran, and online radicalisation. Experts highlight concerns over the UK’s nuclear deterrence, the urgency of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the increasing threat of self-initiated terrorists and will help inform the ongoing Strategic Defence Review.
Topics include AI implementation, climate change’s impact on military operations, and the role of education in emerging technologies. The compendium launched at Royal United Services Institute is available here and there’s more information on the network’s website.
New research reveals how apartheid-era sexual violence has been ‘collectively unremembered’ by South African society
New research by J&VS Network member Dr. Emily Bridger and research associate Kefuoe Makena has uncovered a cultural phenomenon among a generation of South African women: the collective "unremembering" of sexual violence during apartheid. Many Black women interviewed in Thokoza and Katlehong, two townships deeply affected by political violence before the 1994 elections, asserted that rape was minimal or nonexistent during apartheid—despite some recounting personal experiences of assault.
The study, Published in the journal Past & Present has, the authors say, implications for the current focus on sexual violence in contemporary South Africa. More details on the research project South Africa’s Hidden War can be found on the project website.
New Book: The Pashtun Borderland by Jan-Peter Hartung
Jan-Peter Hartung’s latest book, The Pashtun Borderland: A Religious and Cultural History of the Taliban (CUP 2024), offers a historically layered approach to understanding the Taliban phenomenon. Rather than relying on dominant narratives from investigative journalism or security studies, Hartung examines the sociocultural and geopolitical contexts shaping the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the Taḥrīk i Ṭālibān i Pākistān.
Hartung, a Senior Research Fellow at the Friedrich-Alexander University Research Centre for Islam and Law in Europe, presented his work at a J&VS Network seminar yesterday (26th March). The book is available from the Cambridge University Press website and a recording of the launch event is here.
A new University of Exeter Doctorate in Forensic Psychology programme has now received approval from the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The programme, only the third of its kind in the country, will equip graduates with high-quality forensic skills, alongside therapeutic skills, at a time when our legal and criminal justice systems is facing shortages in the field. Find out more https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/pg-research/degrees/psychology/dforenpsy/
J&VS Network Supports the Centre for Interdisciplinary Holocaust and Genocide Studies
The Centre for Interdisciplinary Holocaust and Genocide Studies (CIHGS), exists to strengthen the University of Exeter’s expertise in genocide studies across disciplines. Established with support from the J&VS Network, the centre brings together researchers from diverse fields to promote and advance genocide studies. For more details, including events and news, visit the centre’s website or read their latest newsletter.
Hear more from Centre Director David Tollerton at the J&VS Network Away Afternoon on 4th June and this seminar on Friday 13th June J&VS Research Network Seminar: Professor David Tollerton- Invoking the Holocaust in Relation to Contemporary Issues of Justice and Violence.
OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer with LOCATE International, a charity dedicated to helping families of unsolved missing persons.
The J&VS Network is partnering with LOCATE international, a UK-registered charity committed to finding missing persons and identifying the unidentified, providing answers for families in unsolved/ cold cases. We are seeking Expressions of Interest to join an interdisciplinary team of volunteers to help review and investigate unsolved missing persons and unidentified remains cases. This is a unique opportunity to apply your skills to real-world challenges and make a meaningful impact on communities. If you are interested, please email justice-violencestudies@exeter.ac.uk
Call for Expert Witness Support – Counter Terrorism Policing
Counter Terrorism Policing is seeking experts to provide expert witness support in areas including Al-Qaeda, radicalisation, terrorist financing, white nationalism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, and conspiracy theories, among others.
If you have expertise in any of these fields, please submit your contact details, qualifications, and a 300-word expression of interest to expertwitness@ctpne.police.uk
Let the world know you're a member of the Justice & Violence Studies @Exeter Research Network
As a member of the J&VS network you can update your university profile to add a ‘label’ which shows that you are a member. Adding this label will provide you with increased visibility (internally and externally) as an Exeter Research Network member, as it will enable your profile to be shared on the network’s online membership lists and search tools.
Adding a network label is quick and easy and there are instructions here. Please note that this label is not linked to your communications preferences for the network and will not be removed if you unsubscribe from mailing lists. If you have any questions, please contact researchnetworks@exeter.ac.uk.
Starting a new project or applying for funding? Tag the Network in Worktribe
Tagging the Justice and Violence Studies Research Network in your projects on Worktribe highlights the value of the Network, supports its growth and capacity to provide more support to members. If the Justice and Violence Studies Network has contributed to your project, you or your team as members can tag it to showcase that support. Examples include receiving seed funding, discovering funding opportunities via network communications, forming collaborations through the network, or using the network for engagement activities.
Recognising network contributions not only strengthens your project but also enhances the visibility and impact of the networks themselves. Tagging Networks is very simple to do and will enable them to track the bids and projects which may arise directly or indirectly as a result of network membership. Very brief guidance is available here.
Explore PIVOT-RP: get personalised alerts for research funding opportunities
In October 2024, the University transitioned to Pivot-RP, a powerful online database for finding research funding. Users can search for external and internal funding calls, set up tailored searches, receive funding alerts, track opportunities, and collaborate with colleagues. The platform also provides updates on conferences, paper calls, and research news.
To maximise benefits, users should create an account, claim their profile, and join public groups for bi-weekly funding alerts. Training guides and access information are available on the RIME SharePoint: Finding Funding Opportunities (PIVOT-RP).
Seeking Your Feedback on the Justice and Violence @Exeter Research Network
The Central Research Networks team are leading a project to evaluate the outcomes of research network funding and its impact on career development, interdisciplinarity, and collaboration. Key questions include:
- How does the network support researchers' career progression?
- What role does it play in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration?
- How effective is the network in helping overcoming research barriers?
- Can measurable outputs (e.g., publications, collaborations, grants) be linked to the Justice and Violence @Exeter Research Network?
We would love to hear from you about ways the J&VS Network has impacted your research, or could support more in the future. Please email researchnetworks@exeter.ac.uk
Thank you for reading our newsletter. Find out more about Justice & Violence Studies @ Exeter.
