Graham Barrett

Dr. Graham Barrett is an Assistant Professor in Early Medieval European History at Durham University's Department of History and a member of the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies. Educated at the University of Toronto (BA 2007) and the University of Oxford (DPhil 2015), he specializes in social and cultural history of language and literacy in the early medieval Iberian Peninsula and Mediterranean world.

• Prior affiliations: University of Lincoln (2016-24), St John's College Oxford (JRF 2012-16)
• Royal Historical Society and Higher Education Academy Fellow

His research reconstructs 'textuality' through surviving Latin charters (711-1031) to demonstrate how written records shaped societal norms and cultural practices. He proposes a novel model of early medieval reading where text fragments circulated through citations, challenging assumptions about text-audience relationships.

Recent publications include monographs on Latin charters and co-edited readers on Christian-Muslim historical interactions. He co-founded the journal Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Sources, emphasizing source-driven scholarship. Teaching modules include HIST1701 (Late Antique Mediterranean) and HIST21R1 (Early Medieval Iberia).

• Scientific Awards
  • 2025 La Corónica International Book Award
  • 2023 Royal Historical Society Fellowship
  • 2018 Higher Education Academy Fellowship

Barrett's collaborative work spans digital humanities initiatives, pedagogical innovations for large classes, and ongoing projects translating Austrasian letters and Visigothic texts. He maintains active engagement with both academic and public audiences through lectures in English and Spanish.