Simon Smith

Simon C. Smith is a Professor of International History at the University of Hull, affiliated with the School of Humanities and the Faculty of Arts, Cultures and Education. He specializes in British imperialism, decolonization in the Middle East and Mediterranean, and post-war Anglo-American relations. His current research focuses on slavery in the Arab world, and he has been associated with the Wilberforce Institute (2023–24). Smith holds a BA and PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London, with his doctoral research examining British relations with Malay rulers.

His research outputs include nine books, such as Kuwait, 1950–1965: Britain, the al-Sabah and Oil and British Imperialism, 1750–1970, both translated internationally. He contributes to journals like Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History and serves on editorial boards, including Middle Eastern Studies. He co-led the British Documents on the End of Empire Project, producing a volume on Malta, supported by the British Academy, Leverhulme Trust, and AHRC.

Smith’s recent work analyzes British post-imperial relationships with Gulf states like Bahrain, UAE, and Qatar, emphasizing informal influence post-decolonization. His publications also explore Malta’s transition post-independence and Anglo-American diplomatic dynamics during crises like the Suez crisis and Vietnam War era.

He supervises PhD students on topics ranging from 19th-century Anglo-Russian tensions to modern Middle East travel studies. His advisory and grant activities include collaborations with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, providing historical expertise on Gulf geopolitics.

Smith is part of the Centre for Middle East Studies and engages in knowledge exchange through talks and briefings for governmental bodies.