Alex Sapoznik

Alex Sapoznik serves as a Reader in Late Medieval History within the History department, focusing on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of economic, environmental, and social history. His work examines medieval European and Mediterranean societies through material culture and ecological systems.

His research program spans:

• Economic structures of medieval trade networks and alternative currencies
• Human-environment interactions in apiculture and resource management
• Cross-cultural exchanges across religious and political boundaries
• Social implications of commodity production (honey, wax, candles)
• Ecological impacts of medieval agricultural practices

Analysis of his 2021-2024 publications reveals consistent methodological innovation blending archival economics with environmental archaeology. His collaborative work with Sales Fava and Whelan establishes bee products as critical lenses for understanding Mediterranean connectivity, particularly between Christian Europe and the Islamic Maghreb. This research demonstrates how localized production systems (Catalonia, Cambridgeshire) integrated into transregional trade frameworks.

Recognition:

• Mediterranean Seminar Article of Note Winter 2024

Sapoznik directs major externally funded projects including ECOMEDS (EPSRC, 2023-2028) investigating Mediterranean ecosystem connections, alongside two completed Leverhulme Trust and British Academy projects on medieval beekeeping. His supervised work includes at least one graduate student, with publications generating significant academic engagement (28 X posts, 12 Mendeley readers for key outputs). Current research examines how wax economies supported religious institutions while facilitating cross-cultural trade across the Western Mediterranean.