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Emily Sharp

Emily Sharp

  • Email: hyejms@leeds.ac.uk
  • Thesis title: Tommy and The Diggers: How Differing Cultural Norms Influenced The Battle of Singapore and Captivity
  • Supervisor: Adam Cathcart, Dr Sean Fear

Profile

I undertook my BA (Hons) in Modern World History at the University of Central Lancashire, where I achieved a First Class degree and was awarded the 2016 Sydney Lee Prize for History. My undergraduate dissertation focused on the effect of cultural differences between British Civilian Internees and the Imperial Japanese Army on the perception of internment within Singapore during the second world war and worked with the Changi Museum Archives in Singapore as well as personal testimonies.
 
I joined the University of Leeds in October 2016 in order to study my Masters by Research in History degree which focussed on how the Second World War in Singapore has been differently memorialised in Australia, Great Britain, and Singapore; the three main countries involved in this historic event. I successfully completed my MA thesis in July 2018.
 
My PhD in History at the University of Leeds will work on the thesis Tommy and The Diggers: How Differing Cultural Norms Influenced The Battle of Singapore and Captivity. This project aims to examine the cultural backgrounds of the men who were sent to fight in Singapore, and subsequently ended up in captivity as Prisoners of War of the Japanese, on behalf of the Australian and British forces. It will then compare these backgrounds and the actions/experiences of the soldiers during the battle and in captivity to see if the cultural backgrounds had an impact on how each army behaved during the Second World War in Singapore.
 

Research interests

My research interests are focused towards east and southeast Asia (primarily Singapore), the Second World War and, the effect of culture in warfare and internment.

I am a member of RFHG (Researching FEPOW (Far East Prisoners of War) History Group) more details of which can be found here: https://fepowhistory.com/

I have also spoken at conferences/seminars organised by SWWRG (Second World War Research Group) at King’s College London and ASEASUK (Association of Southeast Asian Studies in the UK) at the University of York.

Current teaching and tutoring commitments include work with The Brilliant Club, Education Outreach at the University of Leeds, and work on the HIST1819 International History 1919-89: Conflict, Co-operation and Change Module.

Qualifications

  • MA (Res) History
  • BA (Hons) Modern World History