Matthew Wormer

Matthew Wormer is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, affiliated with the Department of History within the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. His research focuses on British imperial history, particularly the British presence in Asia during the 19th century, with a specialization in the intersections of capitalism, race, labor, and political economy.

• Education: BA in History (Fordham University, 2011), MA in European Studies (Yale University, 2014), PhD in History (Stanford University, 2022)

His current book project examines the role of opium production and trade in British India as a catalyst for the First Opium War (1839). This work analyzes how opium’s dual nature as a medical substance, recreational drug, and profitable commodity exposed tensions in capitalist systems and colonial governance. His research has been supported by prestigious grants and fellowships.

• Awards: Social Science Research Council Grant, Stanford Humanities Center Fellowship, Mabelle McLeod Lewis Foundation Fellowship

Wormer’s research integrates material history with ideological debates, emphasizing the entanglement of economic theories and colonial practices. His work bridges global and comparative history frameworks, particularly in Asian and European contexts.