Research

We are a leading centre for historical research, with a reputation for innovative, international and interdisciplinary approaches to studying the past. The UK 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF2014) placed us in the top quartile for History Departments for ‘world-leading’ research. We have particular strengths in medieval and early modern history, histories of slavery, medicine, and women and gender, animal and environmental histories, transnational histories, urban history, histories of religion and archival studies.

We work individually and collaboratively to understand the past, and present our research to public and policy audiences. Using a variety of primary sources, including texts, photographs, paintings, films, oral history, objects, buildings and maps, and deploying a range of methodological approaches, we aim to shed new light on the histories of Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

We are also committed to fostering the next generation of historians by embedding research throughout our undergraduate curriculum. As a department, we produced the open access online textbook Using Primary Sources and support a vibrant community of postgraduates and postdocs.