Research opportunities

We can offer supervision on a very wide range of research topics, often working in co-operation with staff from other disciplines. Within our department alone some particularly strong fields may be singled out:

• American history
• Early Modern History
• Local and regional history
• Medieval history
• Modern British and Imperial history
• Modern European History
• Rural history

To find out about an individual member of staff's research interests please see their profiles, which are accessible from our department's staff list.

American history

The Department's particular strengths are in the history of slavery in the antebellum era and the political history of the twentieth-century.

Drs Bell, West.

Early Modern History

The Department's early modernists cover the whole range of the discipline, from economic and social history to political thought with a concern to see England in both a British and an European context.

Profs Hoyle and Taylor, Drs Foxley, Parish, Mijers, Dr Cromartie (Politics).

Local and Regional history

The Department has strong links with the regional historical community, but much of our work is concerned with the history of local communities and the operation of politics and society at the grass roots.

Prof Hoyle, Dr Yates, Dr Burchardt, Dr Worley

Medieval history

The department has a long tradition of excellence in this field, and can particularly offer supervision in the history, religion and culture of England and Capetian France, Crusading and church history, the history of superstition, witchcraft and magic; book history, women's history and the economic and social history of later Medieval Britain.

Prof Grant, Drs Lawrence, Matthew, Rist and Yates.

Modern British and Imperial History

The Department has major strengths in the political history of the twentieth century including the history of British political parties, decolonisation and commonwealth history, and the history of ideas,

Prof Murphy, Dr Stack, Dr Worley

Modern European history

Here the Department has particular strengths in French history since the eighteenth century, twentieth-century Italian history and in the history of twentieth-century European institutions and integration.  Other interests include European warfare, the international dimensions of communism and the history of the Catholic Church.  Much work is undertaken with colleagues in the Departments of French and Italian.

Professors Atkin and Bosworth, Dr Risso, Dr Tallett, Prof Felix (French), Prof Duggan (Italian).

Rural history

Reading has long been associated with the study of agricultural and rural history, and can offer supervision in most areas between the fourteenth and twentieth centuries.  The Museum of English Rural Life holds printed and documentary collections of outstanding importance.

Prof Hoyle, Dr Burchardt and Dr Yates