#100: Smell and Nationalism in the Great War with Jess Clark

An Aromatic Life

In this episode, Frauke sits down with Brock University Associate Professor Jessica P. Clark to give an olfactory perspective on constructions of gender, race, and national identity during the Great War (WWI) in Britain. Jess begins by giving context to the period, explaining who made up the British forces (class & race), the volunteers supporting from home, as well as the perfumers and perfume industry. She explains what role "smellies" played in supporting the troops on the battlefield, showcasing the exclusionary symbolism they revealed. She then shares how the "British" scents lavender, violet, and eau de cologne shaped notions of nationalism. Jess also talks about how "Otherness" and "Martial Masculinity" revealed themselves through scent on the battlefield. She concludes by sharing how scent associations changed after the war and offers her perspective on what "British" scents might represent today.

Read Jess's article “Lavender for Lads”: Smell and Nationalism in the Great War

Read Jess's Odeuropa encyclopedia entry on lavender

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