معرفی
Professor Robert W Jones serves as Professor of Eighteenth-Century Studies in the School of English at the University of Leeds and Deputy Director of the Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute. Appointed in 2000 after five years at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, he maintains active research and institutional leadership roles.
His educational background includes:
- BA and MA from the University of Sussex
- PhD from the University of York (1995) supervised by Harriet Guest
Specializing in Georgian Britain's culture and politics, Professor Jones focuses on Richard Brinsley Sheridan's dual career as playwright and parliamentarian, alongside research on Joshua Reynolds' portraiture and representation of speech. His expertise led to historical consultancy for the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2024 production of The School for Scandal.
Recent publications demonstrate evolving research trajectories, including a 2025 SECC article analyzing Richard Coeur de Lion's Drury Lane production politics and a 2020 JECS study of Elizabeth Sheridan's post-celebrity trajectory, reflecting his integrated approach to theatrical management and cultural history.
Research funding achievements include:
- Leverhulme Trust (2016) and MHRA (2019) grants for the multi-volume Political Works of Richard Brinsley Sheridan edition
- British Academy and Folger Shakespeare Library (2010) support for Drury Lane theatre research
He actively supervises postgraduate researchers and welcomes PhD applications across his specialties. Collaborative work occurs through the Textual Histories Research Group and the Sheridan Project team with Martyn Powell, Rachel Sulich, and Alexis Wolf.
