Andrew Fitzmaurice

Professor Andrew Fitzmaurice is an Honorary Professor in the Department of History at the University of Sydney. His research focuses on the ideologies of European empires, particularly the political ideas underlying colonization and the legal justifications for land and sovereignty claims. He holds degrees including a BEc (Hons) from the University of Sydney, an MA from UNSW, and a PhD from Cambridge.

His research interests include early modern British, European, and Atlantic history; intellectual history; the history of political thought; and the history of colonization and empire. Current projects explore micro-intellectual history, analyzing influential figures like Sir Travers Twiss and their role in justifying colonial enterprises such as the Congo Free State.

Recent publications include King Leopold's Ghostwriter: The Creation of Persons and States in the Nineteenth Century (2021) and Sovereignty, Property and Empire, 1500-2000 (2014). His work frequently addresses themes like terra nullius, corporate sovereignty, and the interplay between legal frameworks and imperial expansion.

He has been awarded grants from the Australian Research Council and other bodies for projects on topics such as corporations as sovereign entities and the environmental humanities. His collaborative research networks include the Sydney Intellectual History Network and the Global Sensibilities initiative.