Julie-Marie Strange

Professor Julie-Marie Strange is a historian specializing in Modern British History, currently serving as Head of Department at Durham University. Her work bridges social, cultural, and gender history, with a unique focus on emotions, material culture, and human-animal relationships in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

• PhD from the University of Liverpool (2000)
• Previous roles at Birkbeck, University of London (2000-2003) and University of Manchester (2003-2019)
• Affiliations: Institute of Advanced Study (Associate Fellow), Centre for Death and Life Studies (Advisory Board Member)

Her research explores the emotional and socio-economic dimensions of working-class life. Key projects include:

• Death and Grief: Analyzing bereavement practices in poverty-stricken families (Death, Grief and Poverty, 1870–1914)
• Fatherhood: Reassessing Victorian paternal stereotypes (Fatherhood and the British Working Class, 1865–1914)
• Humanitarianism: Investigating late 19th-century charity markets (The Charity Market and Humanitarianism)
• Pet Culture: Studying pet bereavement and the rise of pet cemeteries (AHRC-funded Pets and Family Life project)

Recent work examines the interplay between capitalism and emotional expression through her Leverhulme-funded project Love in the Time of Capitalism. Her publications span books and journal articles, with a focus on death, class, and animal-human bonds.

Scientific Awards:

• Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship (2020-2023)

Supervision: Mentoring students on topics including cremationism, lascars, and working-class heritage.