Emeritus Professor Andrew Knapp
Areas of interest
I retired from the University and became an Emeritus Professor on 1 September 2015. I remain active in academic research and writing from my home base in France.
My research interests include French government and politics, especially political parties, and contemporary French history, especially the wartime and postwar periods.
I have worked and published extensively in English and French on the Allied bombing of France between 1940 and 1945 (see my France under Allied Air Attack website). France took the equivalent (in tonnage of bombs) of nearly eight Blitzes from British and American bombers, and suffered over 57,000 dead in this period; my primary interest has been to find out why the Allies undertook these raids and how the French, the Vichy state and the Resistance responded. As well as publications in print, this work has fed into five French TV documentaries, on the bombing of France as a whole and of four selected cities – Nantes, Le Havre, Rouen and Royan. In addition, my interest in the varied national and regional memories of Europe’s bombing war has led to two substantial articles, one of which was published in 2017.
In November 2020, I published a medium-length biography of General de Gaulle, just in time for the fiftieth anniversary of his death.
Following France’s presidential and parliamentary elections in 2022, I published an article on the transformations and complexities of France’s party system, and completed a book chapter on the bombing of the French Atlantic ports in 1942-3, to appear in 2023. Another book chapter, on the bombing of Le Havre, was published in autumn 2022.
Postgraduate supervision
Academic availability
I have supervised four students to successful Ph.Ds, and am available for informal consultations (at a distance) from Ph.D. students, and to invitations to act as an external examiner in my areas of interest. I am equally open to invitations to talk and write.
Research centres and groups
Before retiring I took part in a major AHRC-funded joint research project on Bombing, States and Peoples in Western Europe, 1940-45, covering the effects of Allied bombing on French civilians and the reactions of the Vichy state and the Free French.
I was also part of the Reading-based 'Liberal Way of War' programme, funded by the Leverhulme Trust and co-edited, with Professor Hilary Footitt, a study of Liberal Democracies at War and how they represent conflict to their citizens (2013).
Background
I have taught in Isfahan, Iran, at the Le Havre Business School, and at two different universities in Paris, as well as working for Oxford University Press, before being appointed to the Department of French Studies (now part of the Department of Languages and Cultures) at Reading in 1990.
I served as a member of the Franco-British Council from 2006 to 2012 and on the Council of the Centre d'études sur la vie politique française (CEVIPOF) from 2008 to 2012. I became an Officier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques in 2010.
I am a member of the French Air and Space Academy and of the Conseil Scientifique of the Fondation Charles de Gaulle.
Academic qualifications
- BA in History (Cambridge, 1976)
- D.Phil in Politics (Oxford, 1984)
- Officier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Academiques (2010)
Publications
- Knapp, A. (2022) La dernière ville normande libérée. Le Havre, dernière étape de la Bataille de Normandie. In: Le Cieux, L. , (eds.) Le Havre 44: Nouveaux Regards. Editions Octopus , Paris. pp. 12-29. ISBN: 9782900314371
- Knapp, A. (2022) France's party system in 2022. Modern and Contemporary France , 30 (4). pp. 495-515. ISSN: 1469-9869 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09639489.2022.2134849
- Knapp, A. (2021) L'urbicide comme dormages collatéraux: les bombardements alliés sur la France, 1940-1945. In: Chassaigne, P. , Lastécouères, C. , Lemao, C. , (eds.) Urbicides. Destructions et renaissances urbaines du XVIe siécle à nos jours. Maison des Sciences de l'Homme de l'Aquitaine , Pessac. ISBN: 9872858926060
- Knapp, A. (2020) Charles de Gaulle. Routledge Historical Biographies Routledge , Abingdon. ISBN: 9781138839182
- Knapp, A. (2018) Structure versus accident in the defeat of France’s mainstream Right, April–June 2017. Parliamentary Affairs , 71 (3). pp. 558-577. ISSN: 1460-2482 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pa/gsx044
- Knapp, A. (2017) Les bombardements en Grande-Bretagne, en France et en Italie: expériences comparées, mémoires contrastées. In: Bérenger, C. and Agostini-Ouafi, V. , (eds.) Sous la Glace et les Débris du Temps. Front de l'Est et Bombardements en Europe. Indigo , Paris. pp. 281-294. ISBN: 9782352601418
- Knapp, A. (2016) The horror and the glory: Bomber Command in British memories since 1945. Mass Violence and Resistance ISSN: 1961-9898
- Knapp, A. and Barot, S. (2016) Du « 16th port » aux « camps cigarette »: une présence massive de l’armée américaine au Havre (1944-1946). In: Barzman, J. , Bouillot, C. , Knapp, A. , (eds.) Bombardements 1944: Le Havre, Normandie, France, Europe. Histoire et Patrimoines Presses Universitaires de Rouen et du Havre , Rouen. pp. 283-305. ISBN: 9791024006116
- Knapp, A. (2016) Des bombardements sur les champs de bataille normands: du débarquement au siège du Havre. In: Barzman, J. , Bouillot, C. , Knapp, A. , (eds.) Bombardements 1944: Le Havre, Normandie, France, Europe. Histoire et Patrimoines Presses Universitaires de Rouen et du Havre , Rouen. pp. 137-188. ISBN: 9791024006116
- Knapp, A. (2016) Une arme nouvelle au centre de la guerre: les bombardements dans la stratégie des Alliés. In: Barzman, J. , Bouillot, C. , Knapp, A. , (eds.) Bombardements 1944: Le Havre, Normandie, France, Europe. Histoire et Patrimoines Presses Universitaires de Rouen et du Havre , Rouen. pp. 73-90. ISBN: 9791024006116
- Barzman, J. , Bouillot, C. , Knapp, A. , eds. (2016) Bombardements 1944: Le Havre, Normandie, France, Europe. Histoire et Patrimoines Presses Universitaires de Rouen et du Havre , Rouen. pp 488. ISBN: 9791024006116
- Knapp, A. (2014) Les Français sous les bombes alliées, 1940-1945. Tallandier , Paris. pp 592. ISBN: 9791021004610
- Knapp, A. (2014) En attendant Sarko? France’s mainstream Right and Centre, 2012-2014. Modern and Contemporary France , 22 (4). pp. 473-489. ISSN: 0963-9489 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09639489.2014.957963
- Knapp, A. (2013) The allied bombing offensive in the British media, 1942-45. In: Knapp, A. and Footitt, H. , (eds.) Liberal democracies at war: conflict and representation. Bloomsbury , London. pp 264. ISBN: 9781441156051
- Knapp, A. (2013) Surviving without leading: Jacques Chirac . In: Bell, D. and Gaffney, J. , (eds.) The Presidents of the French Fifth Republic. French politics society and culture The Presidents of the Fifth Republic pp. 159-180. ISBN: 9780230285224
- Knapp, A. and Footitt, H. , eds. (2013) Liberal democracies at war: conflict and representation. Bloomsbury , London. pp 264. ISBN: 9781441156051
- Knapp, A. (2013) A paradoxical presidency: Nicolas Sarkozy, 2007-2012. Parliamentary Affairs , 66 (1). pp. 33-51. ISSN: 1460-2482 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pa/gss070
- Knapp, A. (2012) The President above parties: a founding illusion of the Fifth Republic. E-France (3). pp. 55-74. ISSN: 1756-0535
- Knapp, A. (2012) La Francia sotto le bombe degli Alleati 1940-1945. In: Labanca, N. , (eds.) I Bombardimenti Aerei Sull’Italia. Il Mulino , Bologna. pp. 37-56. ISBN: 9788815238160
- Baldoli, C. and Knapp, A. (2012) Forgotten blitzes: France and Italy under Allied air attack, 1940-1945. Continuum , London. pp 312. ISBN: 9781441131096
- Knapp, A. (2011) Des bombardements alliés sur la France en général et Le Havre en particulier. Cahiers Havrais de Recherche Historique , R69 pp. 121-154. ISSN: 1250-5560
- Baldoli, C. , Overy, R. , Knapp, A. , eds. (2011) Bombing, states and peoples in Western Europe, 1940-45 . Continuum , London. pp 376. ISBN: 9781441185686
- Dodd, L. and Knapp, A. (2008) How many Frenchmen did you kill? British bombing policy towards France (1940-1945). French History , 22 (4). pp. 469-492. ISSN: 1477-4542 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/fh/crn042
- Knapp, A. (2008) La présidence au-dessus des partis: chronique d’une illusion. In: Dargent, R. , (eds.) Vie et mort de la Ve République: 1958-2008. Libres Libres (5). pp. 48-60. ISBN: 9782755402858
- Knapp, A. (2008) Le président au-dessus des partis: chronique d'une illusion. Vie et mort de la Ve république. François-Xavier de Guibert , Paris. pp. 47-60. ISBN: 9782755402858
- Knapp, A. and Sawicki, F. (2008) Political parties and the party system. In: Cole, A. , le Galès, P. , Levy, J. , (eds.) Developments in French Politics 4. Palgrave Macmillan , Basingstoke. pp. 42-59. ISBN: 9780230537002
- Knapp, A. (2007) The destruction and liberation of Le Havre in modern memory . War in History , 14 (4). pp. 476-498. ISSN: 1477-0385 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0968344507081551
- Knapp, A. (2007) The half-open window: France and Britain, 1944-1947. In: Knapp, A. , (eds.) The uncertain foundation: France at the liberation 1944-47. Palgrave Macmillan , Basingstoke. pp. 207-233. ISBN: 9780230521216
- Knapp, A. and Cogan, C. (2007) Washington at the liberation, 1944-1947. In: Knapp, A. , (eds.) The uncertain foundation: France at the liberation 1944-47. Palgrave Macmillan , Basingstoke. pp. 183-206. ISBN: 9780230521216
- Knapp, A. (2007) Introduction: France's "long" liberation, 1944-1947. In: Knapp, A. , (eds.) The uncertain foundation: France at the liberation 1944-47. Palgrave Macmillan , Basingstoke. pp. 1-22. ISBN: 9780230521216
- Knapp, A. and Wright, V. , eds. (2006) The government and politcs of France. 5th edition.. Routledge , London. pp 535. ISBN: 9780415357326
- Knapp, A. (2006) France: recent history. Western Europe 2007. 9th ed. The Europa regional surveys of the world Routledge , London. pp. 210-216. ISBN: 9781857433975
- Knapp, A. (2005) Prometheus (re)bound? The fifth republic and checks on executive power. In: Cole, A. , le Galès , P. , Levy, J. , (eds.) Developments in French politics 3. Palgrave Macmillan , Basingstoke. pp. 88-104. ISBN: 9781403941800
- Knapp, A. (2004) Ephemeral victories? France's governing parties, the ecologists, and the far right. In: Mair, P. , Müller , W. , Plasser, F. , (eds.) Political parties and electoral change: party responses to electoral markets . Sage , London. pp. 49-85. ISBN: 9780761947196
- Knapp, A. (2004) Parties and the party system in France: a disconnected democracy? . French politics, society and culture Palgrave Macmillan , Basingstoke. pp 440. ISBN: 9780333920831
- Knapp, A. (2003) From the Gaullist movement to the president's party. In: Evans, J. , (eds.) The French party system. Manchester University Press , Manchester. pp. 121-136. ISBN: 9780719061202