Matthew Neufeld

Matthew Neufeld is a historian at the University of Saskatchewan specializing in early modern Britain and Europe, with research focusing on war, state formation, and healthcare, particularly within naval and maritime contexts. He teaches courses on early modern British and European history, war, and medicine, and supervises graduate students in social and cultural history from 1650 to 1750.

Research Interests:

• Early modern Britain and Europe
• Naval and maritime history
• War and society
• War and state formation
• War and medicine
• Healthcare and welfare
• Historical memory and peacemaking
• Political and social history

Recent Research Trends: His recent publications and SSHRC-funded research explore the treatment of prisoners of war, corruption in naval healthcare, and the biopolitics of manning the Royal Navy. His work bridges military, medical, and political history, emphasizing institutional development and ethical dimensions of wartime care.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow, Royal Historical Society (2018)
• Honourable Mention, Canadian Nautical Research Society Keith Matthews Best Book Award (2025)
• Shortlisted, Canadian Historical Association Wallace K. Ferguson Prize (2025)

Advising and Grants: Neufeld welcomes MA and PhD supervision in early modern British history. He was awarded an SSHRC Insight Grant in 2022 for a three-year project on 18th-century prisoner-of-war treatment, aiming to inform ethical decision-making in the Canadian Armed Forces and foster public discussion on military ethics.

Labs and Teams: He collaborates with international scholars, including Sabine Jesner and Krista Kesselring, on edited volumes addressing military healthcare and historical memory. His editorial work includes special journal issues and co-edited books with interdisciplinary contributions.