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Biography

Trained at the universities of York (BA), Cambridge (MPhil), and Utrecht (PhD), I am an historian. My research uses historical evidence and data to better understand unequal impacts of hazards, shocks, and disasters within and between communities. I have a specific expertise in rural history.

In the past decade, I have investigated how societies interpret and cope with epidemics, and how epidemics help shape societies that experience them. For me, the big question is not why epidemics cause substantial structural change but why, given that mortality is often so great, change is often so minimal and temporary?

I have published widely across many different disciplines of history and related fields. I have more than 45 international peer-reviewed articles and chapters and have 4 books (with a 5th on the way and a 6th under contract) including my recent book derived from an NWO VIDI project ; an open access synthesis of all the most up-to-date thinking on historical disasters with Cambridge University Press ; and an open access study on how epidemics have been visualised across the long term of cinematic history with Routledge . My first book empirically testing concepts of resilience and vulnerability through systematic comparison of historical case studies is available in paperback with Routledge .

In recognition of my contribution to historical research, I am a fellow of the Royal Historical Society (UK).

I am happy to hear from any prospective students (BA/MA/PhD) interested in rural history, environmental history, and the histories of inequality and/or disasters.