Reid Barbour

Reid Barbour is the Roy Moose Distinguished Professor of English at the University of North Carolina, specializing in Renaissance/early modern British literature and culture. He holds a PhD from the University of Rochester (1988) and a BA from UNC (1982). His research focuses on intersections between literature and religion, philosophy, science, and history, particularly in 16th- to 17th-century texts.

Barbour’s publications include biographies of Sir Thomas Browne and scholarly editions of early modern works. He has received numerous teaching awards, including the Edward Kidder Graham Outstanding Faculty Award (2004) and multiple recognitions from the UNC community for excellence in mentorship and instruction. His courses cover British literature from Milton to the 18th century and early modern authors like John Milton.

His academic contributions span literary biography, historical criticism, and interdisciplinary studies of early modern intellectual life. Current research continues to explore the interplay between literature and its socio-historical contexts in early modern England.