Giving voice to the forgotten
For graduate Emily Woods, studying history is about bringing to light forgotten stories, both to honour those forgotten and help us better understand the world we live in today.
Emily graduated this week with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (First Class) in History. Her Honours research thesis explored how the far-right has used disasters to promote antisemitic ideology and recruit members to far-right movements.
“This behaviour can be seen all the way into the past as well as now, during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Emily says.
“Far-right groups recognised that the pandemic provided a perfect opportunity to spread antisemitic conspiracy theories and far-right propaganda, exploiting the frustration, fear, and uncertainty that people faced during the pandemic
“This fits an historic pattern of the rise of antisemitism in times of crisis that we can track all the way back to the medieval period. The reach of these far-right groups has only increased in the modern day, with access to the internet and social media.”
Emily is now pursuing a Master of Arts in History, focusing on how Nazi ideologies about disability still impact people with disabilities today.
“The first victims of the Holocaust were disabled children in Germany and Austria,” Emily says. “I would like to highlight how Nazi ideology about disability did not disappear after the war—even today people with disabilities are sometimes considered a drain on resources in both the medical world and wider society.”
As well as the relevance to modern life, Emily was also drawn to these topics because many of these groups have been overlooked historically.
“I feel that it is incredibly important that Holocaust history continues to be explored and taught. Growing up I heard stories of the war from my grandparents, so I have always been aware of the atrocities committed by Hitler and the Nazis.
“A lot of young people today though don’t necessarily have that direct connection to the second world war, and the lessons that were learnt following the Holocaust are starting to fade away as conspiracy theories and modern antisemitism are on the rise.”
Emily says the history of people with disabilities has been particularly neglected by past historians.
“My favourite part of studying history is researching areas of history that are less well known, giving a voice to people from history who have long been forgotten.”
Emily’s long-term goal is to become an historian and to teach history at the University.
“When I decided to return to study, I knew I wanted to pursue a subject I enjoyed,” Emily says. “Completing my Honours and starting my Masters has taught me so many skills and opened the door for so many opportunities for a career in history, and the freedom to devote myself to research which I really enjoy.
“I love the research process, it is almost like detective work at times, uncovering evidence and gaining an insight into the lives of people from the past and the world around them.”
Emily’s research also has a personal side, with one of her biggest challenges being navigating University life and study with a disability.
“When I started University, I struggled to meet people on campus as I didn’t know anyone and I felt a bit different to the other students. As many of us with a disability know, sometimes people feel awkward to approach us, but over time I got to know people in my classes and in the history department and my confidence grew tremendously.”
Emily says Disability Services at the University were a huge help, and she encourages anyone studying with a disability to get in touch with them as soon as possible.
“Engaging with disability services is a great start, as they can help you sort out what kind of assistance you might need, whether it is organising someone to help you with note-taking or obtaining a disabled parking spot on campus which is close to your classes.”
She says her lecturers were also very supportive, and she was able to be honest with them when she was struggling and get help. She says the clubs and groups available on campus were valuable too, particularly for meeting new people and getting involved in university life.
“I am always determined that my disabilities will not stop me achieving what I want in life,” Emily says. “If you have challenges like I have with disability or health conditions and think that you will not be able to do it, you can.”
Emily’s advice to others wanting to pursue postgraduate study is to choose a subject they love and see where it takes them.
“I started out with a subject I loved, and ended up with First Class Honours, a History Master’s Scholarship, and the start of a career I’m really passionate about.”
Learn about the past and impact your future with postgraduate study in History.