James Freeman

Dr. James Freeman is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of History, University of Bristol, specializing in contemporary British politics, economics, and society. He serves as an Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) and leads the Digital Cultures and Methods Research Cluster within the School of Arts, Law and Social Sciences.

Education:

• BA, MA, PhD from University of Exeter

His research focuses on the histories of neoliberalism and conservatism, particularly examining political rhetoric, ideology, and policy development. Key areas include Thatcherism, Tory freedom rhetoric (1945–70), and the application of digital humanities methodologies such as corpus linguistics and rhetorical theory.

Recent publications (2018–2021) analyze neoliberalism's role in British conservatism, Thatcherite individualism, and pension reforms. Collaborative projects include AHRC-funded studies on Thatcher’s policies and data science integration in Liberal Arts education.

Scientific Awards:

• Faculty Competitive Research Leave (Extra TB), 2017
• Shortlisted Student Teaching Awards, 2017

Freeman supervises PhD/MPhil research on topics like the welfare state, actuarial profession, and Women's Liberation Movements, while actively teaching courses on digital humanities and contemporary British history.