David Gilks

David Gilks is Associate Professor in Modern European History at the School of History and Art History, University of East Anglia (UEA). He specializes in the long eighteenth century, with a focus on the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. His research explores cultural contestations in political, artistic, and ideological domains, particularly around heritage, monuments, and knowledge formation.

His academic background includes a BA and PhD in History from the University of Cambridge, alongside study at Harvard University and the École Normale Supérieure in Paris. He previously held research fellowships at Christ Church, Oxford, and Queen Mary University of London.

His research interests include the history of political culture, art and architecture, conservation, collecting, memorialization, and the rediscovery of the past. He is currently working on a book titled How to become a French revolutionary hero: successful and unsuccessful pantheonizations, 1791–1804, and has published extensively on Quatremère de Quincy, cultural property, and urban history.

His recent publications reflect a consistent engagement with the intersections of art, politics, and ideology during revolutionary and post-revolutionary France. Themes include anti-clericalism, monument restoration, hero commemoration, and the displacement of cultural artifacts, revealing broader societal fractures through cultural interventions.

• Twice shortlisted for 'Most Inspiring Teaching' category, Student Union’s Transforming Education Awards
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

David Gilks teaches a wide range of modules at UEA, including 'France from the Enlightenment to the Belle Époque', 'The French Revolution', and 'The Enlightenment'. He supervises graduate students and is actively involved in academic administration as Co-convenor of the Student Experience Partnership and Deputy Admissions Director. He holds a UEA Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice and is committed to pedagogical excellence.

He is currently accepting PhD students interested in French history, political thought, heritage, and urban development. His work contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goal on Quality Education.