James Fortuna

Dr. James Fortuna is an Associate Lecturer in the History of the United States post-1850 at the University of St Andrews’ School of History. He previously served as an adjunct assistant professor at Santa Fe College (USA) and holds a PhD from St Andrews (2023), with earlier degrees from West Virginia University (BA), Trinity College Dublin (MPhil in Classics), and the University of Cambridge (MPhil in Modern European History).

His research focuses on 20th-century cultural and diplomatic history, particularly the intersection of architectural production and national identity formation during the interwar period. Key topics include Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany’s use of architecture for ideological purposes, international expositions as sites of cultural diplomacy, and the legacy of fascism in urban planning.

Fortuna co-founded the Institute for the Study of International Expositions and has organized multiple conferences since 2021. He also chairs panels at the American Historical Association’s annual meetings. His recent publications analyze maritime history, New Deal environmental policies, and the architectural symbolism of interwar regimes.

Teaching responsibilities include courses on the American Century, Cold War history, and historiography. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, linking architectural studies to broader political and cultural dynamics.