“The SSN has allowed me to share my expertise and learnings with others, which have created new friendships and enriched my life!”
Find out more about some of the members of the IWM War and Conflict Subject Specialist Network.
Browse our membership directory to connect with other members.
• Is free
• Is for anyone working on not-for-profit activity relating to conflict since 1914
Katherine Quinlan-Flatter
Historian and Journalist, Germany See profile >
When did you join the SSN?
I joined in 2019.
What would you say to someone thinking of joining?
If you are interested in history and would like to meet like-minded people, expand your network and take part in interesting exchanges, as well as have access to interesting articles, there are many good reasons for joining. There are no obligations and you can attend meetings and talks, as well as make contributions, as you have the time to do so. I look forward to being able to meet up in person again.
How have you benefited from joining?
I’ve met a variety of very interesting people who I would not have had the opportunity to meet without the network. It’s been an exciting experience for me and enabled me to do things I couldn’t or wouldn’t have otherwise done – going behind the scenes at Duxford, visiting the International Bomber Command Centre, holding talks on subjects I am working on and meeting people directly involved in the areas of history which I research. I greatly enjoy the exchange with experts and interested parties alike – it’s wonderful to be able to discuss the subjects I’m interested in with others who also find them interesting. Everyone I’ve met through the network has been helpful, friendly and cooperative with regard to our common interests. In addition, the network is run very efficiently by the colleagues at IWM, who have always provided me with much support in my research and for my talks.
Ian Sanders
Host & Producer of the Cold War Conversations Podcast, UK See profile >
When did you join the SSN?
I joined SSN in June 2019.
What would you say to someone thinking of joining?
I would highly recommend joining the SSN network to any subject specialists who are looking for support, collaborations, and access to a unique and broad range of practitioners. I have learnt a lot from other projects which have given me ideas and encouragement to try similar techniques. The SSN has also allowed me to share my expertise and learnings with others which have created new friendships and enriched my life!
How have you benefited from joining?
Membership of SSN has massively helped raise the profile of Cold War Conversations, delivered new guests and given me an excellent support network of like-minded organisations and individual practitioners.
The SSN has also enabled me to work with IWM with a number of projects including Voices of the Wall a commemoration of the opening of the Berlin Wall which I was able to publicise and bring previous interviewees of the podcast to the event and record a number of new oral history interviews from visitors. This also resulted in a joint speaking opportunity with IWM at Bristol University’s Cold War Voices conference where we spoke about the results of the Voices of the Wall project.
The Cold War Study visit to IWM London and the National Archives (TNA) was a particular highlight, allowing specialists in my main area of interest to spend extended time together resulting in closer connections and valuable insight into how IWM and TNA operate as well as receive some useful training too.