Olivia Saunders

Dr. Olivia Saunders is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader in History at the School of Humanities and Social Science, Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), where she has been a key academic since 2016. She leads undergraduate history degrees and contributes significantly to curriculum development, particularly in employability and student mentoring.

Her educational background includes a PhD and MA from the University of London and a BA from Trinity College Dublin. She is currently pursuing an MA in Academic Practice at LJMU and holds a Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring.

Olivia's research focuses on Latin American history, especially Bolivia, with expertise in business-government relations, Cold War politics, commodity history (particularly tin and copper), and the political economy of revolutionary regimes. Her work challenges conventional narratives about the decline of British business in Latin America and explores the complexities of informal empire.

Her recent publications span topics such as U.S. foreign relations, British and American involvement in Bolivia, and global industrial history. These works reflect a consistent interdisciplinary approach combining political, economic, and social history with international relations.

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

She has supervised PhD students in history and ethnomusicology and has led major research projects funded by the Norwegian Research Council and the Leverhulme Trust. She has also developed and led modules such as 'A History of Modern Latin America' and 'History Works', and initiated a peer mentoring scheme to enhance student experience.

Olivia is actively involved in professional communities, including the Association of Business Historians, Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, Society of Latin American Studies, and the Anglo-Bolivian Society, where she served on the Executive Council.