A new research project led by the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) will uncover the hidden stories of the people who helped shape the shipbuilding industry across Northern Europe.
The project, called Hidden Hands of Shipbuilding: Stories of Skill, Struggle, and Solidarity from Northern Europe, will explore the experiences of shipyard communities, including dangerous working conditions, disappearing craft skills and the role of collective action in improving safety and protecting workers.
The research will also highlight the contribution of women to shipbuilding, innovation and the development of safer and more equal working practices.
The project is being led by a cross-disciplinary research team at UWS and has received more than £200,000 in funding from Lloyd’s Register Foundation, an independent global safety charity.
Professor Katarzyna Kosmala, Chair in Culture, Media and Visual Arts and Project Lead, said: “At a time when industrial communities and maritime heritage are being reimagined, this project asks important questions about whose stories are remembered, whose knowledge is valued and what lessons can be carried into the future to create safer and more inclusive working cultures.
“We are delighted to have the support of Lloyd’s Register Foundation for this important international project and to collaborate with the cultural sector and partners across Europe to ensure these stories are recognised and shared with future generations.”
With Scotland’s shipbuilding history continuing to shape communities along the River Clyde, the research will connect local industrial heritage with wider stories from Northern Europe.
The UWS team includes Professor Katarzyna Kosmala, Dr Marco Gillardi, Dr Trent Kim and Dr Waldemar Affelt. They will work with partners including the Scottish Maritime Museum, the European Solidarity Centre, NOMUS, the National Museum in Gdansk, the Arteria Association and the City Culture Institute.
The project builds on more than 12 years of research led by Professor Kosmala into waterfront heritage and regeneration, including previous work linking the former shipyard communities of Govan and Gdańsk.
Professor Kosmala said: “Shipbuilding shaped towns, cities and communities across Northern Europe but many of the people whose labour made that possible have remained hidden from history.
“This project will bring those whose voices were muted back to life. We want to show the part played by those whose skills were often overlooked, by the communities who stood together to improve conditions and by the women whose contribution has too often been left out of the record.”
UWS said the funding reflects the University’s commitment to internationally focused research with practical benefits for communities.