Lifepaths of the nation: Aberystwyth and the reproduction of Welsh nationalism

The first academic context that informs the research is a concern with the role of national elite in reproducing nations. Much has been written concerning the role of key individuals in delineating the contours of nationalist discourse (Gellner 1983; Greenfield 1992; Kedourie 1971). On the whole, these studies have tended to assert the significance of these ideas without demonstrating their validity empirically. The project examines empirically the life paths (Daniels and Nash 2004) or, in other words, the life histories and geographies of nationalist activists within one place in order to produce a more humanised historical geography of the nation, an approach influenced by the work of Daniels (1993) and Matless (1998).
In addition, work on the role of the national elite has been criticised by Smith (1998: 190) for being too 'top-down' in nature. There is a need to examine the role played by national elite and ordinary members of the nation in shaping nationalist discourses. One way of doing this is by focusing on the biographical connections between various nationalists and how they are grounded within particular places.

Such a focus also enables us to examine the significance of particular places for the reproduction of nations. There is a growing interest in studying the significance of places for nationalism but this work has tended to examine how places reflect nationalist discourse (Agnew 2004; Appleton 2002; Contino and Skaria 2002). The project examines a different theme by showing how places- and the multiple life paths of nationalist activists within them -can be key sites for shaping nationalist discourses.

This project brings together these different strands by examining the role played by different people in Aberystwyth in swaping Welsh nationalism between the 1950s and 1970s. It builds on a broader tradition of examining the Welsh nation (Fevre et al 1999; Gruffudd 1994; Jones 2000).

Aims

The research has two main aims: to explore the conceptual association between the lifepaths of nationalist actors and the reproduction of nationalist discourse; to examine empirically the role of people in Aberystwyth in shaping the development of Welsh nationalism.

The research focuses on the following questions: which Welsh nationalist movements have been associated with Aberystwyth between the 1950s and 1970s?; how have individuals within the town shaped the discourses of these nationalist movements?; to what extent have the social interactions between individuals been important in shaping attitudes toward the Welsh nation?; how have the life paths of nationalist actors in Aberystwyth contributed to the formation of nationalist discourses?

The methods used to answer these questions are archival research and oral history research. Archival research has been used to determine the key discourses of Welsh nationalist movements in the period under study. It has also been important as a way of contextualising oral histories conducted with key actors (biographies, autobiographies, correspondence etc.). Oral history research has been used to chart the life paths of key individuals within nationalist movements in Aberystwyth and their impact on the development of the Welsh nation. The proposed research has built on a strong tradition of using oral histories as a way of examining social and spatial change.

Potential applications

Conceptually, the potential to humanise the historical geographies of the nation by addressing the significance of the life paths of nationalist activists for the reproduction of nations.

Methodologically, the potential to show the use of oral history and a biographical approach as means of charting the development of nationalist discourse.

Empirically, the potential to illustrate in more detail an important phase in the development of Welsh nationalism, especially with regard to the connections between different movements and protagonists.