Location
Fort Nelson, Portsmouth

Conference | 8 January 2026 | Fort Nelson, Portsmouth
Weapons in Society V
Call for Papers, deadline – 14 April 2025, 9.00 am
Since 2019, the Royal Armouries’ Weapons in Society conference has showcased the varied interactions between arms, armour, and culture. Now in its fifth event, it will once again provide an opportunity for early career and postgraduate researchers to mix with academic and heritage professionals, allowing a collaborative dialogue between the worlds of academia and heritage. For the first time, this conference is being held at Fort Nelson, one of the Royal Armouries’ sister sites. This mid-nineteenth century Grade I listed fortification is one of many permanent defences around Portsmouth which have etched themselves into the cultural landscape of the area.
This conference aims to bring to light the changing cultural and social roles of arms and armour throughout history. This can come in a variety of forms, from their role in popular culture and entertainment, to their reinforcement of class and gender roles. The steering committee welcomes proposals for papers, based on original research from any perspective or discipline, on arms, armour, and their links to society. These topics can relate to any range of time and any location.
Individual papers should be no more than 20 minutes; Themes may include, but are not restricted to:
- Weaponry exemplifying cultural divide or connections, through memorials, gifts, and/or trophies.
- An individual weapon’s role as a national symbol or emblem.
- The impact of weapons technology development on science and society.
- The connections between arms and armour, and the supernatural, through nature, mysticism, and/or religion.
- The role of armed fortifications in shaping society and culture.
- How museums can showcase arms and armour in the current climate.
Please submit abstracts through https://forms.office.com/e/KhmHqav4Uz by 9am on Monday 14 April 2025.
The Royal Armouries welcome applications from scholars at all stages of their careers, and especially postgraduate/early career researchers. To support speakers’ attendance, we anticipate making no more than 5 bursaries of £150 available, prioritising those without access to institutional support. Applications for these bursaries can be made at https://forms.office.com/e/EepbXyH13u.
For questions or advice, contact the organisers at mark.bennett@armouries.org.uk.