Sasha Handley

Sasha Handley is a Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Manchester, affiliated with the School of Arts, Languages, and Cultures. She specializes in social and cultural history, focusing on healthcare practices (especially sleep), material culture, and supernatural beliefs. Her research bridges early modern Europe and colonial contexts, emphasizing environmental and gendered dimensions.

Her current projects include a Wellcome Trust-funded investigation into early modern sleep practices and public engagement initiatives like the Sleeping Well at Ordsall Hall project. She leads the Bodies, Emotions and Material Culture Collective and has curated major exhibitions such as Albrecht Dürer's Material World at The Whitworth.

Handley's awards include the Social History Society Prize for Sleep in Early Modern England (2016) and fellowships from the British Academy and AHRC. She advises PhD students and serves as an external examiner for multiple universities. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and education.