History

Introduction

The historians at the University of Huddersfield aim to promote and advance History research at both the international and national level and to disseminate that excellence in research to ensure that it impacts on both academic and public life. At the last RAE, in 2008, 90 per cent of our research was judged to be internationally recognised, internationally excellent or world leading.

Our primary objective is therefore to extend our knowledge and understanding of History and to establish the University of Huddersfield as a prime player in historical research. This is to be accomplished essentially through individual research, although   group research is also encouraged. As a result we publish articles, book chapters and monographs; supervise M. Phil and PhD students; work with academic and public bodies in collaborative research, and work closely with the press, television and radio.

Our research strategy is taken forward and sustained through the production of high quality work and seeking research money through obtaining grants from the University, the AHRC, ESRC, the Wellcome Institute, the Leverhulme Trust and many other grant providers. As part of this process we have also invested in early career members of staff and we are attempting to gain grants which help early career staff to become the ‘Leaders’ of research of the next generation.

Historians tend to work as ‘lone scholars’, ranging from medieval to modern topics, but at Huddersfield we encourage work within informal and formal groups. History itself is, therefore, a research centre in its own right and a Unit of Assessment (30) for REF 2014. It is deeply involved in working in cross-school bodies and specific projects. Professor Paul Ward works closely with Dr. Jodie Matthews and others, of the School of Human and Health Science, in the academy of Britishness. The Yeoman Warder Oral History project, which has attracted immense academic and public interest under the direction of Professor Paul Ward, Dr. Janette Martin and the Rev. Paul Wilcock, works in close connection with the Academy of Britishness, the Centre for Oral History Research (Media), and the Arms and Armour Research Group, which is associated with three schools. Indeed, the leading figures in the Arms and Armour Research Group, Rev. Paul Wilcock, Dr. Glenn Foard and Professor Richard Morris are all central to the work of the History Group. They work closely with the Royal Armouries at Leeds, and with Graeme Rimer, the Academic Director of the Royal Armouries, who is a Visiting Research Professor in History at Huddersfield. Professor Doyle and Drs Ellis, Atkinson and Cullum work closely together on the history of health provision. Also Drs. Cullum and Lewis have researched deeply in to holiness and masculinity and are organising a conference in 2012 on ‘Religious Men in the Middle Ages’.

Dr. Rebecca Gill’s research has meant that she has worked with Save the Children and has collaborated with Professor Bertrand Taithe (University of Manchester) on the study of evil. Professor Tim Thornton has worked closely with academic and administrative and legal bodies in the Channel Islands as a result of his work on island histories, and Sarah Bastow has worked with Tim, and academics from other universities, on the Catholics in Yorkshire. 

Recent initiatives have widened the boundaries of the History Group. The School of Music, Humanities and Media has organised collaborative research links with the University of Hull which should result in a collaborative research student in History within the next two years. The bicentenary of Yorkshire Luddism has also led to a partnership project to commemorate this bicentenary. The project received £3,000 from the University’s Collaborative Ventures fund, essentially to create a new website this has led to partnership with Huddersfield Local Studies Library, Kirklees Tourism, the Tolson Museum, Mikron Theatre Company, Lawrence Batley Theatre and West Yorkshire Archives Service.

Through their high academic reputations, the History staff have also extended their contacts with publishers and reviewed articles and book manuscripts for Manchester University Press, Oxford University Press, Palgrave, Routledge, and many other publishers. They have also reviewed articles for many journals as is indicated in their publications. These include A-rated journals such as History  and the International Journal of Social History.