Overview
England’s Military Heartland, the first book to explore the reality of living next to a huge army community in the UK, provides a comprehensive account of the sprawling military presence on Salisbury Plain, drawing on a wide range of voices from both sides of the divide. The book is a considered investigation of a long-standing army base’s impact on the British countryside, and contributes to ongoing discussions about the traces of military history in the English rural landscape.
The discussion will consider how the army takes responsibility for conserving this unique landscape as it trains young men and women to use lethal weapons. Are the army’s claims that its presence is a positive for the environment anything more than propaganda? The panellists will reflect on these questions against the backdrop of a landscape inscribed with the legacy of preparing for perpetual war.
England’s Military Heartland: Preparing for War on Salisbury Plain is published by Manchester University Press in January 2025. Copies of the book can be purchased at a special discounted cash price of £15 after the event.
Panellists
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Vron Ware, Writer and Photographer; Visiting Professor, London School of Economics.
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Professor Paul Dixon, Teaching Fellow, Queen Mary University of London and University of Leicester.
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Dr Antonia Dawes, Lecturer in Social Justice, King's College London.
Joining Instructions
This event is open to members and will take place at RUSI, 61 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2ET. If you have any questions regarding this event, please email [email protected].
