Tim Causer

Dr Tim Causer is a Principal Research Fellow at the Bentham Project within the Faculty of Laws at University College London (UCL). He specializes in editing the works of Jeremy Bentham and researching convict transportation systems, particularly the Norfolk Island penal station. His academic contributions span historical studies, Australian and British colonial history, and the history of penal and legal systems.

Education:

• PhD from the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, King’s College London (2010)
• MA Hons. and MLitt from the University of Aberdeen (2004, 2006)

Research Interests:

Causer’s work focuses on the intersection of legal philosophy, colonial governance, and penal systems. He edits Bentham’s correspondence and writings, particularly exploring their impact on Australian and British colonial policies. His projects include the award-winning Transcribe Bentham crowdsourcing initiative and AHRC-funded studies on convict Australia and utilitarianism.

Current Projects:

• Preparing Volume 14 of Bentham’s Correspondence
• Editing Auto-Icon; or, the Farther Uses of the Dead to the Living
• Co-Investigator on the AHRC project analyzing Bentham’s Panopticon penitentiary writings

Awards & Affiliations:

• Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
• Member of the Menzies Australia Institute Advisory Board

Grants & Collaborations:

Recipient of AHRC funding for projects on convict Australia and the Panopticon penitentiary. Collaborated with the tranScriptorium EU project on handwritten manuscript digitization.

Labs/Teams:

Central to the Bentham Project, a multi-decade initiative to edit and digitize Bentham’s vast literary output. Engages in interdisciplinary work with historians, legal scholars, and digital humanities experts.