Brighton Womens Peace Camp, 1983: Second Wave Feminism and the Womens Peace Movement

Brighton Women’s Peace Camp was set up on a stretch of land known as ‘the Level’ in Brighton on 15th February 1983. It was one of many short lived satellite camps that appeared throughout the U.K in support of Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp. This article explores the oral narratives of two women who were involved in the Brighton camp. By examining their motivations, conflicts, resolutions and reflections, this paper illustrates the participants personal and collective identities and how these have evolved over time. Their stories reveal that experiences within the camp strongly reflect some of the experiences and issues raised in research about Greenham; especially concerning the camp’s purpose, it’s limitations of involvement and it’s public face. Many of these issues indicate the wider feminist debates of the time such as the conflicts of Socialist Feminism and Radical Feminism and the emergence of identity politics. This is a small scale, qualitative study which brings to light a previously ignored event in local history.