Reconstruction Discussion Group

The ‘Reconstruction Discussion Group’ incorporates researchers from Cambridge, the Bard Graduate Center and various other UK universities. Sophia Feist and I started the group in the summer of 2025, and we usually meet every fortnight during full term.

We discuss key theoretical issues common to reconstructive research methods, covering questions of authenticity, terminology, materials sourcing and more. The group is driven by the needs of its members, who’s interests span dress, intellectual, botanical and experimental history, as well as archaeology.

Members have generated a number of successful sessions guided by their own research; Zara Kesterton hosted a 2026 workshop on playful learning, and Sydney Marceca has led us in considering cultural appropriation. The group is not purely theoretical — we also incorporate group experiments and writing sessions into our programme. We recently worked with a recipe for pomander from the 1704 Accomplish’d Female Instructor, combining sage-ashes, rose oil and cloves.