Will Rossiter

Will Rossiter is a Professor in the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia (UEA), where he has been a faculty member since 2013. He is an active academic, currently serving as Director of Postgraduate Research and leading the Medieval and Early Modern Research Group. He has previously held academic positions at the University of Liverpool, University of Manchester, and Liverpool Hope University.

His research focuses on late medieval and early modern literary cultures, with a particular emphasis on Anglo-Italian literary and cultural interrelationships. Key areas of interest include Chaucer, the tre corone (Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio), Sir Thomas Wyatt, John Lydgate, and Pietro Aretino, whose biography he is currently writing. He is accepting PhD students and has held significant administrative roles, including Research Director and Research Ethics Officer.

His recent publications (2023–2024) demonstrate a sustained engagement with European literary and cultural themes, particularly the intersection of British literature with continental European contexts. These works explore Brexit, pandemic, war in Europe, and Renaissance humanism, reflecting a broad interdisciplinary approach to literary studies.

Will Rossiter has served on the editorial board of the Boydell and Brewer Chaucer Studies series and was Editor of the Bulletin of the Society for Renaissance Studies from 2013 to 2019. He was also a member of the AHRC Peer-Review College from 2017 to 2020, indicating national recognition in the UK humanities research community.

He has led multiple externally funded research projects, including The Lives of Pietro Aretino (British Academy, 2021–2023 and 2025–2026) and Henryson's legal fictions (British Academy, 2018–2022), showcasing his ability to secure competitive grants and lead substantial scholarly initiatives. He also contributed to collaborative projects with the School of Advanced Study, University of London.

Will Rossiter is based in the Arts and Humanities Building at UEA and is actively involved in academic service, research leadership, and editorial work, reinforcing his central role in the medieval and early modern studies community.