Overview

Talk of industry in the South Wales Valleys is preoccupied with the loss of the mining and steel industries and also the failure of foreign direct investment, its transience and lack of loyalty. This is combined with boosterism around tourism and pleas for the promise of higher education. However, there is another industrial presence in the South Wales Valleys that rarely attracts mention but plays a significant role in the lives of the young: the British armed forces and its affiliated military based industries.

This project considered what role these play, and what their significance is for the Valleys youth, families and communities.

Research Questions

The primary question concerned the social and economic role that the British military plays in the south Wales valleys.