Matthew McCormack

Matthew McCormack is Professor of History and Head of the Graduate School at the University of Northampton, where he has been a leading academic since 2004. He is affiliated with the Research, Impact and Innovation Centre for Historical Studies and plays a central role in shaping postgraduate education. He is also President of the British Society for Eighteenth-Cententury Studies, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

His research centers on British history, particularly the intersections of politics, gender, masculinity, and material culture in the eighteenth century. His influential works include The Independent Man (2005), Embodying the Militia in Georgian England (2015), and Citizenship and Gender in Britain, 1688–1928 (2019). His upcoming book, Shoes and the Georgian Man (2025), explores footwear as a cultural and gendered artifact. He has also advanced pedagogical scholarship through co-editing Innovations in Teaching History (2024).

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on material culture, embodiment, and public history, with recurring themes in military history, citizenship, and sensory studies. He frequently contributes to scholarly encyclopedias and edited volumes, demonstrating interdisciplinary reach across history, archaeology, and cultural studies.

• Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Matthew McCormack actively supervises PhD students including Ruth Barton, Kerry Love, Kathrina Perry, and Hilary Hillman, whose research spans political material culture, philanthropy, and local history. He has led research projects funded by charitable and internal sources, including 'Emotions, Gender and Material Culture' and 'A History of Northampton in 100 Objects,' reflecting his commitment to public engagement and community-based scholarship.

He is involved in museum collaborations, particularly with Northampton Museum & Art Gallery, and contributes regularly to public discourse through media appearances and public lectures. His work bridges academic rigor with accessible historical storytelling, making significant contributions to both scholarly and public understanding of eighteenth-century Britain.