Michael Bennett

Dr. Michael Bennett is a Lecturer in Early Modern British History at the University of Sheffield's School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities. He joined the university in 2022 after working as a Research Associate at The University of Manchester and the Bank of England. His academic work focuses on the social and economic history of the English (later British) empire during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, with particular emphasis on the relationship between Britain and Caribbean plantation slavery.

His educational background includes:

• BA (Hons) from King's College London (2015)
• Masters by Research from the University of Kent (2016)
• Ph.D. from The University of Sheffield (2020)

Dr. Bennett's research centers on the reciprocal relationship between early modern Britain and the Caribbean plantation system. His in-progress book manuscript explores the Caribbean sugar boom beginning in Barbados during the 1640s, analyzing London merchants' role in financing plantation slavery's development. He's particularly interested in how slavery and colonialism shaped London as a global commercial and financial center during the long eighteenth century. Additionally, he maintains a secondary research interest in English trade and colonialism in the Indian Ocean world, with publications examining the East India Company's relationship with slavery and unfree labor.

His scholarly output demonstrates a consistent focus on the economic dimensions of empire, particularly the financial mechanisms that supported plantation slavery and colonial expansion. His work bridges economic history with social history, examining how commercial interests drove colonial development and shaped labor systems across multiple imperial contexts, including both the Atlantic and Indian Ocean worlds.

Dr. Bennett has received numerous prestigious awards and fellowships for his research:

• John Carter Brown Library Short-Term Fellowship (2021)
• Society for Renaissance Studies Postdoctoral Fellowship (2020)
• Huntington Library Short-Term Fellowship (2020)
• Eccles Centre for American Studies Visiting Fellowship (2020)
• AHRC International Placement Scheme Fellowship (2017)
• AHRC White Rose Competition PhD Scholarship (2016)
• Roger Scola prize for best MA/MRes thesis (2016)

Dr. Bennett is actively engaged in research funding and public projects. His work has been supported by grants from the AHRC, Royal Historical Society, Society for Renaissance Studies, Huntington Library, John Carter Brown Library, and Eccles Centre for American Studies. He recently led the Bank of England's high-profile research project into its historical links to slavery (1694-1888), which resulted in the 'Slavery & the Bank' exhibition. He has also collaborated with Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital, Somerset House, and community groups on public-facing projects exploring Britain's connections to historical slavery, resulting in research reports that have influenced public memorialization and policy.

Dr. Bennett is a core member of Sheffield's Slavery Research Hub, where he collaborates with colleagues across disciplines to investigate the historical and contemporary legacies of slavery. His public engagement work has connected academic research with museum exhibitions, hospital histories, and community initiatives, demonstrating a commitment to making historical scholarship accessible and relevant to diverse audiences.