English, University of Southampton

I completed my BA at Balliol College, Oxford and my PhD at Birkbeck College, London. I joined Southampton in 2006 after having taught at Birkbeck and at King's College London. My research focuses on the English early modern court, looking in particular at the coronation ceremonies of the Tudor and Stuart monarchs, at the relationship between ceremony and drama, and the role of ceremony under Oliver Cromwell. I am a member of the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Culture at Southampton and convenor of the MA Medieval and Renaissance Culture. I am also an executive editor for the trade publishing company, Atlantic Books.

My research focuses on the English early modern court, looking in particular at the coronation ceremonies of the Tudor and Stuart monarchs, at the relationship between ceremony and drama, and the role of ceremony under Oliver Cromwell. I am particularly interested in the legitimization of power, and the impact of religious and political change on all kinds of ceremonies and rituals: royal, political, religious, civic. I welcome research proposals on any aspect of early modern literature and drama; ceremony and ritual; court culture; the period of the Republic.

Research projects

I am currently working on the period of the English Republic, 1649-1660. I am also establishing a network dedicated to investigating the place of fools and the role of folly in early modern Europe.