I grew up in Essex before coming to Oxford as an undergraduate. I studied for my BA, MPhil and DPhil at New College, with a brief interlude as a journalist in Italy. I was previously a lecturer at Jesus College, Oxford.

I teach a variety of papers on early modern Europe. This was a period in which the continent was transformed by war, religious fervour, artistic brilliance, the print press, and climate change. It was also the first era of globalisation in which more and more people came into contact with each other through travel, trade and colonialism. I love exploring these themes -- and their resonances for our lives today -- with students.

My own research considers the history of the book – especially its readers – and the cultural connections between England and Europe in the sixteenth century. I am particularly interested in the life and writings of the Dutch scholar, Desiderius Erasmus, who was perhaps the bestselling author of his day.