The people's centenary? Public history, remembering and forgetting in Britain's First World War Centenary

This article examines public participation in First World War centenary events in Britain between 2014 and 2018. Drawing on research carried out by the authors between 2017 and 2019, it explores why, despite the wide ranging nature of commemorative projects and events, and the extraordinary levels of public participation in and engagement with these across Britain, the cultural memory of the First World War seems largely static. We argue that the affective power of the 'soldier as victim' informed many of the state level commemorative events and acted as a means by which people become involved in the centenary. At the same time, this acted as an effective block to wider interest in and understanding of different histories and experiences of the First World War.