Thomas Marsden

Dr. Thomas Marsden is a Lecturer in European History at the University of Stirling. Previously, he held a Lectureship at Brasenose College, Oxford (2016–2019) and a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship at University College London (2013–2016). His research focuses on the intersection of religion and politics in the Russian Empire, particularly the history of Old Believers. He holds a DPhil in History from the University of Oxford and has conducted extensive archival work in Russia, Ukraine, and Austria.

Research Interests:

• Old Believers and religious dissent in Imperial Russia
• Religion’s role in autocracy and state formation
• Social history of the Russian peasantry
• Secularisation trends and religious revival in the 19th century

Awards:

• British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship (2013–2016)
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Current Project: A British Academy-funded study on Old Belief’s impact on the Russian Empire (1800–1917), examining its role in nationalism, liberalism, and revolutionary movements.