JAMES RENTON

Professor James Renton is a historian specializing in antisemitism, Islamophobia, empire, and global politics at Edge Hill University. He serves as Director of the International Centre on Racism and was former President of the British and Irish Association for Jewish Studies. His research bridges academia and public engagement, notably through MONITOR Global Intelligence on Racism. Renton holds a PhD from University College London (UCL), with doctoral studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His work focuses on racism's intersection with surveillance, Middle Eastern studies, and the historical roots of contemporary conflicts like the Israel-Palestine war.

• Education:
  • PhD in History, University College London (UCL)
  • Doctoral studies at Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • Hanadiv Postdoctoral Fellowship at UCL
• Key Roles:
  • Director, International Centre on Racism, Edge Hill University
  • Academic Advisor, MONITOR Global Intelligence on Racism

Renton’s research interests include the history of ideas shaping modern global conflicts, particularly the War on Terror. His books include The Zionist Masquerade (2007), Antisemitism and Islamophobia in Europe (2017), and Islamophobia and Surveillance (2019). He explores how European conceptions of the Middle East from the 16th century onward have influenced contemporary racism and surveillance systems.

His recent articles analyze the liberal democratic state’s complicity in antisemitism and Holocaust memory, while earlier works address the Balfour Declaration’s racial dimensions and colonial legacies. Renton has contributed to media outlets like Ha’aretz, BBC Radio 4, and Al Jazeera, emphasizing public scholarship.

• Awards: Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
• Grants: Arts and Humanities Research Council Early Career Fellowship, Jean Monnet Fellowship (European University Institute)

Renton oversees the Racism Research Group and has organized conferences on topics like race in Jewish worlds and witch hunts linked to racial persecution. His current monograph project examines the European idea of the Middle East, funded by prestigious fellowships.