Adam Sutcliffe

Adam Sutcliffe is a Professor of European History at King's College London, affiliated with the Centre for Enlightenment Studies and the Department of History. He holds a BA from Cambridge, MA from Sussex, and PhD from UCL. He has held fellowships at institutions like the University of Pennsylvania and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. As former Head of the History Department (2012–2016), he focuses on intellectual history of Western Europe (1650–1850), Jewish history, and the politics of historical memory. His research explores themes like Judaism’s role in Western thought, Enlightenment thinkers (Spinoza, Voltaire), and cross-community relations. He teaches courses on European Jewish history, Enlightenment, and toleration.

• Education: BA Cambridge, MA Sussex, PhD UCL
• Fellowships: University of Pennsylvania, IAS Princeton, Leipzig

Research interests include Jewish/non-Jewish relations, Enlightenment intellectual networks, and the history of friendship. He has published widely, including What Are Jews For? (2020) and co-edited volumes like the Cambridge History of Judaism (2017). Awards include Leverhulme Research Fellowships.

Grants include projects on free speech, empathy in history, and transnational feminism. Active in public engagement, he comments on Jewish history, migration, and prejudice. Leads King’s Jewish Studies network and contributes to interdisciplinary programs in political thought.