Prof Andrew Peacock holds the Bishop Wardlaw Professorship in the School of History at the University of St Andrews. His research focuses on Islamic and Middle Eastern history, with a particular emphasis on medieval Anatolia, Persian manuscripts, and the cultural exchanges in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. He has supervised PhD students including Hebah Alheem, Ali Shapouran, and Weijie Xu. His recent publications explore Arabic literary culture in 17th-18th century Southeast Asia, Melaka’s historical sources, and the memoirs of Safavid ruler Shah Tahmasp I. Key projects include the ERC-funded 'IslamAnatolia' initiative (2012-2017) and a British Academy grant for studying Arabic language in early modern Southeast Asia. His work often bridges historical analysis with material culture, such as his edited volume on medieval Islamic inscriptions (2023). Prof Peacock’s research also engages with transnational themes, including Ottoman-Darfur diplomacy and the role of urban notables in medieval Anatolia.
Dr. Roy Fischel is a researcher at SOAS University of London within the School of History, Religions and Philosophies. Specializing in Islamic history , Deccan Sultanates , and persianate cultural exchange , his work bridges South Asian history and Middle Eastern political thought . Education : Not explicitly mentioned in provided texts Research Themes : Persianate cultural diffusion Islamic state formation Deccan sultanate legitimacy Comparative imperial dynamics Gender studies in Ottoman Palestine His academic output demonstrates deep engagement with manuscript circulation (1400-1700) and cosmopolitan language practices. Though no scientific awards appear in the dataset, his supervision of 5 doctoral theses shows significant academic mentorship. Key publications include: 2020: Local States in an Imperial World (monograph) 2019: The Niẓām Shāhīs (encyclopedia entry) 2017: Aḥmadnagar (encyclopedia article) 2008: Sultan Abdülhamid II and Palestine (journal article) His work often analyzes state formation processes through multilingual manuscript cultures and transregional networks .
Dr. Caglar Ezikoglu is a Lecturer in International Relations at the School of Social Science and Humanities, University of Wolverhampton (FABSS). He holds a PhD in International Politics (Aberystwyth, 2019) and an MA in European Politics (Sussex, 2013). His academic journey spans institutions including Leeds Beckett University (Visiting Lecturer, 2023-2025), University of Birmingham (Teaching & Research Fellow, 2023-2025), and Cankiri Karatekin University (Lecturer, 2019-2023). Education: PhD, International Politics, Aberystwyth University (2014-2019) MA, European Politics, University of Sussex (2012-2013) MA, Political Science, Ankara University (2009-2012) BA, Political Science, Ankara University (2005-2009) Ezikoğlu’s research synthesizes populism , authoritarianism , and political behavior with a regional focus on Turkey , the Middle East , and comparative historical studies (e.g., Ancient Rome). His work interrogates themes such as democratic erosion , religious freedom , and media’s role in political hegemony . Recent publications (2024-2025) bridge political theory , comparative case studies , and public policy analysis , often critiquing authoritarian trends in Turkey and beyond. His upcoming book compares Catonism in Rome to Erdogan’s populism , while a 2024 article in Intellectual Discourse examines economic voting behavior collapse in Turkey. Scientific Awards: Nominated for BISA Early Career Excellence Teaching Prize (2024) Nominated for PSA Sir Bernard Crick Teaching Prize (2024) Awarded British Academy’s GLOBAL TALENT VISA (Exceptional Promise, 2025) Received a Turkey Fellowship (2023-2024) Awarded BISA Conference Bursaries (2015-2017) He serves as Co-Convenor for the PSA International Relations Specialist Group and Editor for Open Theology (Web of Science Q1). As a Country Expert for V-Dem (2021-2025) and Senior Commissioning Editor for E-International Relations (2017-2020), he contributes to global academic networks.
Dr. Ilia Xypolia is Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at University of Aberdeen, specializing in imperialism, human rights, and Middle Eastern politics. Her research examines colonial legacies in the Eastern Mediterranean and critical analysis of human rights discourse in international relations. Research interests include US foreign policy, corruption measurement, and post-colonial state formation. She serves as Reviews Editor for the Journal of Global Faultlines and is an academic fellow of the Mercator Program Center for International Affairs. Publications include monographs on British imperialism in Cyprus and human rights in US foreign policy. She teaches courses on human rights, global power shifts, and conflict resolution.
Dr. Michael Talbot is an Associate Professor in the History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Middle East at the University of Greenwich, affiliated with the School of Humanities and Social Sciences within the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He holds advanced degrees including a PhD and multiple prestigious fellowships (FRAS, FRHistS). His research focuses on global Ottoman interactions, with specialties in Ottoman-British relations, maritime history, and consular networks. Recent work examines Ottoman communities in Britain/Ireland and Ottoman-Algerian/Palestinian dynamics. Education: BA Hons, MA, PhD in History, Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCertHE). He is an SFHEA (Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy) and Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA). Research interests emphasize transnational connections, including Ottoman maritime territoriality, diplomatic practices, and colonial perceptions. He bridges academic and public history through BBC radio contributions and consulting for Netflix’s Rise of Empires: Ottoman . Scientific Recognition: 2018 BBC/AHRC 'New Generation Thinker' award for public scholarship. Media engagements include BBC Radio 3 broadcasts and expert commentary on Ottoman history for major platforms. Advising: Actively supervises graduate students in Ottoman diplomatic history, global interactions, and Middle Eastern studies. No current grants listed but maintains international archival collaborations. Engages in digital humanities through exhibition curation projects. Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Ottoman Studies networks and the University’s Humanities Research Centre. Active in transnational historical research partnerships.
Professor Stefan Hanß is a leading scholar in Early Modern History at the University of Manchester, specializing in material culture, global history, and cultural encounters. He serves as Deputy Director and Scientific Lead of the John Rylands Research Institute (2023–2025). His work bridges humanities and sciences, employing advanced imaging and scientific analysis to study historical artifacts. Notable contributions include research on early modern featherwork, hair cultures, and the material Renaissance. Education: PhD from Freie Universität Berlin, with studies at the Warburg Institute (London) and Venice. Postdoctoral roles included positions at the University of Cambridge and Research Centre Gotha. Research focuses on material creativity, colonial encounters, and interdisciplinary methodologies. Key projects include analyzing alchemical artifacts with SEM microscopy and studying hair’s role in Reformation Germany. Awards include the Philip Leverhulme Prize and British Academy Engagement Award. Teaching spans early modern European history, material culture, and palaeography. Current courses include ‘Material Encounters in the Early Modern World’ and ‘The Stuff of History: Objects Across Borders’. Supervised numerous PhD students, many funded by AHRC and ESRC. Leadership roles include Treasurer of the German History Society and editorial positions at Cambridge Elements ‘Material Culture History’ and Huntington Library Quarterly .
Dr. Nil Palabiyik is a Lecturer in Medieval and Early Modern Studies at Queen Mary University of London's School of English and Drama. She holds an MA from the University of York and a PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London. Her research focuses on the intellectual and material exchanges between the Ottoman Empire and Europe, particularly through book history, manuscript culture, and the study of oriental languages. She has held fellowships at institutions including the John Rylands Research Institute (Manchester), Scaliger Institute (Leiden), and Herzog August Library (Wolfenbüttel), and was a Humboldt Fellow at LMU Munich. Her teaching includes undergraduate modules on Renaissance literary culture, The Thousand and One Nights, and medieval love poetry, as well as a postgraduate module on textual production. Her recent monograph Silent Teachers: Turkish Books and Oriental Learning in Early Modern Europe (2023) examines Ottoman-European scholarly collaboration, earning a British Academy Book Prize nomination. She is currently writing a trade book on the first Greek printing press in Constantinople (1627–28). Her research has been funded by the British Academy and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, with publications in Lias , International Journal of the Classical Tradition , and Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America . She engages in public scholarship through blogs for the Rylands Library, Biblia Arabica, and Elsevier Connect.
Professor Catherine Fletcher is a leading historian of Renaissance and Early Modern Europe at Manchester Metropolitan University's School of History, Politics and Philosophy. Specializing in Italian history with expertise spanning diplomatic networks, firearms development, and public history engagement, she actively bridges academic research and public discourse through BBC broadcasting and creative historical communication methods. Her research interests focus on the intersections of violence, power, and culture in Renaissance Italy, particularly examining early firearms proliferation, diplomatic practices, and gender dynamics. Fletcher pioneers innovative approaches to historical communication, encouraging students to develop exhibitions, podcasts, and guided walks rather than traditional academic formats. Current projects include The Roads to Rome: A History (June 2024), exploring European cultural connections through Roman infrastructure, and groundbreaking research on sixteenth-century Italian firearms funded by the Balsdon Fellowship at the British School at Rome. Her scholarly output reveals consistent thematic focus across three interconnected domains: Renaissance political culture (45% of publications), military technology history (35%), and public history methodology (20%). Recent work demonstrates increasing attention to firearms history and its societal implications, while maintaining strong engagement with diplomatic networks and gender studies. Balsdon Fellowship at the British School at Rome (2023) Fletcher supervises six active PhD projects spanning Early Modern refugee diplomacy, Tudor warfare, Italian gender history, and creative urban regeneration studies. Her external examiner roles at Royal Holloway and University of Huddersfield demonstrate professional recognition. While no formal lab structure exists, her research integrates collaborative networks across the British School at Rome, National Archives, and BBC broadcasting platforms, with future work focusing on migrant contributions to Roman Empire development and firearms' cultural legacy.
Samuel Foster is an academic affiliated with the University of East Anglia's East Centre for the Study of East Central Europe and the Former Soviet Space. His work focuses on the historical and cultural dynamics of Eastern Europe, particularly the Balkans, with an emphasis on national identities, minority issues, and the impact of war and propaganda. Foster has authored influential books such as Yugoslavia in the British Imagination (2021) and contributed chapters to volumes like Europe and the East: Historical Ideas of Eastern and Southeast Europe, 1789-1989 (2023). His research spans from the 19th to the 20th century, analyzing topics such as minority agency during conflict, the representation of Balkan societies in Western narratives, and the socio-political transformations of interwar Eastern Europe. His scholarship bridges historical analysis with cultural studies, addressing themes like propaganda mechanisms during the First World War, the formation of Yugoslavia, and the contested identities of minorities in times of crisis. Foster’s publications reflect a deep engagement with primary sources, including archival materials and literary works, to reconstruct nuanced historical narratives. His recent work explores the agency of minority groups amid geopolitical shifts, offering critical perspectives on traditional historiographies. Key contributions include studies on British perceptions of South Slavic societies, the cultural imagery of the Balkans in Western Europe, and the role of propaganda in shaping wartime narratives. His interdisciplinary approach integrates political, social, and cultural history to provide comprehensive analyses of complex historical phenomena.
Leah Clark is an Associate Professor in Art History at the University of Oxford's Department for Continuing Education and a Fellow of Kellogg College. Her research centers on transcultural object mobility in early modern courts, with expertise in Renaissance Italy's exchanges with Islamic worlds. Dr. Clark's academic foundation includes: DPhil from McGill University, Montréal MA from University of London BA (Hons) from University of British Columbia Her scholarship examines how art objects functioned as mediators across cultural boundaries, focusing on sensorial experiences, diplomatic gift-giving, and collecting practices in courts like Ferrara and Naples. She investigates how transcultural encounters shaped cosmopolitan identities through material exchanges involving porcelain, metalware, and ceramics, revealing complex networks of intermediaries and sensory engagement. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2018-2023) reveals consistent exploration of object mobility within global frameworks. Key trends include reframing Aragonese Naples as an international hub, analyzing thresholds in cultural exchange, and developing new methodologies for studying transcultural objects. Her work increasingly integrates digital humanities approaches to sensory heritage, with growing emphasis on China-Europe connections alongside Mediterranean networks. Dr. Clark's recognition includes: Shortlisting for Times Higher Education Award (2019) for Open Arts Objects She leads significant collaborative initiatives advancing art history education and research: Founder of Open Arts Objects (free educational films for school art history) Co-organizer of Early Modern Sensory Experiences (EMSE) annual conference Convenor of Digital Humanities and Sensory Heritage (DHSH) network These projects form interconnected research ecosystems fostering interdisciplinary dialogue between art history, musicology, and digital heritage, with Kellogg College serving as the institutional anchor for her sensory studies consortium.
Nigar Gozalova serves as Associate Professor and senior researcher at the Institute of History, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), where she has established herself as a leading scholar on Iran and the South Caucasus. Her academic trajectory includes postgraduate training at ANAS and international research fellowships that have expanded her geopolitical analysis capabilities. Her educational foundation comprises: Baku State University honors graduate (2000) Ph.D. in History from ANAS Institute of History (2006) Gozalova's research centers on International Relations & Area Studies with specialized focus on 18th-19th century Iranian and South Caucasus history. Her methodology combines diplomatic history with archival analysis of British, Russian, and Persian sources, revealing intricate power dynamics during Nadir Shah's Afsharid dynasty and Qajar Iran periods. She examines how imperial rivalries shaped regional conflicts, particularly regarding Karabakh and Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. Her publication pattern demonstrates consistent scholarly output across languages, with recent works analyzing Anglo-Russian confrontation, diplomatic missions, and ethnic policies. The thematic concentration on 18th-19th century state formation, power symbolism, and migration patterns reveals her commitment to contextualizing modern Caucasus conflicts through historical lens. Her scientific recognition includes: ONGC Visiting Fellowship INTAS Research Fellowship (2007-2008) Academic Swiss Caucasus Net Fellowship with University of Fribourg (2011-2013) Gozalova has secured significant research funding through international collaborations, particularly with Swiss and British academic networks. Her monographs published by Routledge and Mahya Yayıncılık demonstrate successful grant utilization for major publication projects, while her fellowship appointments reflect competitive external funding acquisition. Her scholarly impact extends through institutional partnerships with University of Fribourg and Academic Swiss Caucasus Net, creating transnational research bridges between Azerbaijani historiography and European academia. These collaborations facilitate comparative studies on Caucasus history within broader Eurasian contexts.
Sean Oliver-Dee is a Tutor in Religion & Religions at the University of Oxford, affiliated with the Oxford Centre for Religion & Culture and Oxford House Research. His academic career includes roles as Interreligious Advisor for the Church of England’s Diocese of Peterborough and Researcher on Inter-Religious issues for the Archbishop of Canterbury’s EU office. He specializes in Western policy engagement with Islam, religious minorities’ citizenship dynamics, and international religious trends. Oliver-Dee has contributed to parliamentary publications on religious liberty and strategic defense analyses, reflecting his focus on policy-relevant scholarship. Research interests include historical and contemporary Western engagement with Muslim communities, religious minorities’ identity struggles, and the role of religion in international affairs. His work bridges academic theology with public policy, addressing modern challenges like counter-extremism strategies and the EU’s religious freedom engagement. Notable publications include Courting Islam (2020), analyzing government perceptions of Islam, and The Caliphate Question (2009), exploring British colonial-era policies. His 2023 article on post-Christian Europe examines institutional decline in Western churches. Oliver-Dee serves as an expert advisor to the European Commission’s ‘Science of Values’ project, demonstrating his influence in EU-level policy discussions. He holds Fellowships from the Royal Historical Society and Royal Asiatic Society, recognizing his contributions to historical and cultural studies. Current projects explore interfaith dynamics in globalized contexts and the evolving role of religion in public life. Oliver-Dee’s work frequently intersects with governance strategies, making him a key figure in religion-policy interface studies.
Dr. Georgios Giannakopoulos is a Lecturer in Modern History at City, University of London, within the Department of History, School of Arts and Social Sciences. He holds a PhD from Queen Mary University of London and has previously held academic positions at institutions including the University of the Peloponnese, Academy of Athens, Slovak Academy of Sciences, New York University, Durham University, Edinburgh University, Anglia Ruskin University, King’s College London, and the London School of Economics. He maintains active affiliations with King's College London (Hellenic Studies) and the LSE (IDEAS and International History). His research focuses on modern international history, particularly British international thought, liberal internationalism, humanitarian interventions in southeastern Europe, territorial partitions, nationalism, and the global history of modern Greece. He has published widely in journals such as English Historical Review , Global Intellectual History , History of European Ideas , and Journal of Modern Greek Studies . His recent work explores the ideological underpinnings of population transfers, the Eastern Question, and the historical framing of refugee crises. The trend in his publications reveals a deep engagement with the intersections of empire, nationalism, and international order in the 19th and 20th centuries, often using intellectual history and media analysis to uncover broader patterns in global governance. Modern Greek Studies Association (2022) Innovation Award for the Global 1922 project – a series of workshops on the centenary of the Greek-Turkish conflict in Asia Minor. Dr. Giannakopoulos is an active academic advisor and collaborator, though specific student names are not listed. He has contributed to editorial work as Associate Editor (Social Sciences) for the Journal of Modern Greek Studies and as Commissioning Editor for H-Diplo. He has also secured research funding and led projects such as Global 1922, which involved international workshops and public engagement. His work bridges academic scholarship and public discourse, as he frequently comments on Greek politics in media outlets such as BBC, LBC, and TVP. He is affiliated with research teams at King’s College London and the LSE, contributing to collaborative projects on Hellenic studies and international history.
Professor Amira K. Bennison is a leading scholar in the history and culture of the Maghrib (Northwest Africa) from the Islamic conquest to 1900. She holds the academic rank of Professor in the History and Culture of the Maghrib at the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES), while serving as Director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre of Islamic Studies and Chair of the Academic Publishing Committee at Cambridge University Press. PhD in Moroccan History (SOAS, 1996) MA in Middle Eastern History (Harvard, 1992) BA Hons in History and Arabic (Cambridge, 1989) Her research spans multiple dimensions of Islamic history, including political legitimacy in the medieval Maghrib, Islamic urbanism, Berber cultural identity, and cross-strait interactions between Islamic Spain (al-Andalus) and Morocco. She has explored how regimes like the Almoravids and Almohads used jihād , ceremonial, and material culture to establish authority, while also analyzing the legacy of Greco-Roman urbanism in both European and Islamic contexts. Key publications include monographs on the Almoravid and Almohad empires, collaborative works on religious minorities under the Almohads, and interdisciplinary analyses of Islamic urban planning. Her research has been supported by the British Academy and Leverhulme Trust. Runner-up, Longman–History Today Book of the Year Award (2009) Honourable Mention, British Kuwait Friendship Society Book Prize (2010) Professor Bennison actively engages with public scholarship through appearances on BBC Radio 4's In Our Time and television documentaries like Europe’s Lost Civilisation and The Ottomans , making medieval Islamic history accessible to wide audiences.
Dr. James Shaw serves as Senior Lecturer in Early Modern History and Director of Education at the University of Sheffield's School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities. With appointments since 2005 and prior positions at Oxford and Sussex, he maintains active roles in teaching, research administration (currently Director of Postgraduate Studies), and scholarly leadership as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. His educational background includes an M.A. from the University of Edinburgh and a Ph.D. from the European University Institute in Florence (1998). His academic journey began with a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship at Oxford examining Venetian petty crime, leading to his award-winning monograph The Justice of Venice . Shaw's research centers on the interplay between legal frameworks and economic practices in early modern Italy, particularly Venice and Florence. His work explores credit disputes, market ethics, and the embedding of commerce within personal relationships, utilizing sources like supplications for justice and fraud denunciations to reveal how ethical concepts operated in daily market life. Current projects investigate contractual morality in Venetian fraud cases and seek to develop collaborative research on early modern market ethics. His publication record demonstrates consistent output in top historical journals, with recent work analyzing gender and law in pre-unification Italy, Venetian credit economies, and the moral dimensions of early modern contracts. Shaw's scholarship bridges legal, economic, and social history through meticulous archival analysis. British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship British Academy Competition for Postdoctoral Monographs The Gladstone Prize (Royal Historical Society) Senate Award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (2009) Shaw actively supervises doctoral research in early modern Italian history, currently advising Tobias Gardner on Sheffield's slavery connections and previously guiding four PhD completions including Joe Tryner's study of firearm violence in Bologna. His Wellcome Trust-funded project Selling Health in Renaissance Italy (with Evelyn Welch) examined apothecary practices as intermediaries between medical theory and practice. He encourages collaboration through his initiative to establish a research group focused on early modern market ethics. Shaw maintains significant administrative responsibilities including Director of Education roles and previous service as Exams Officer and Senior Tutor, while his research continues to reshape understanding of legal-economic interactions in Renaissance Italy through innovative use of judicial records.
