Dr David Thackeray

My main research interests are in the political history of Britain and its relations with Europe and the Empire/Commonwealth since the 1860s. I am currently Principal Investigator for a Leverhulme Research Project Grant (2021-25): Parliamentary Empire: Settler Colonialism and British Democracy, c.1867-1939, a collaboration with Amanda Behm (York) and Richard Toye (Exeter). By exploring how different groups appealed to values of British parliamentarianism, we shed new light on the connected debates about democratic governance and political inclusion that characterised the emergence of nations within a fractious British Empire. Being ‘parliamentary’ was central to claimants' appeals for political inclusion and authority as representing 'British' values, and appealed particularly to those on the fringes of the political nation- such as working men, women, and indigenous peoples.

Previously, I was Co-Investigator for 'The age of promises: manifestos, election addresses and political representation' a Leverhulme-funded project (2017-21) led by Richard Toye (Exeter), which uses these sources to explore the nature of political representation in twentieth century Britain and the evolution of programmes and promises in electoral politics. This has led to a jointly authored monograph- The Age of Promises: Electoral Pledges in Twentieth Century Britain (Oxford University Press, 2021), a jointly edited book 'Electoral Pledges in Britain since 1918: The Politics of Promises' (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020), and articles which have used the Mass Observation archive to explore issues of political engagement and attitudes to women politicians in mid-twentieth century Britain.

I have an ongoing interest in the political economy of the 'British World', which emerged from my initial post-doctoral work.Forging a British World of Trade: Culture, Ethnicity and Market in the Empire/Commonwealth, c.1880-1975' appeared with Oxford University Press in 2019. I edited 'Imagining Britain's economic future, c.180 0-1975: Trade, Consumerism and Global Markets' with my colleagues Andrew Thompson and Richard Toye (Palgrave MacMillan, 2018). My first book explored cultures of twentieth-century British popular politics: 'Conservatism for the democratic age: Conservative cultures and the challenge of mass politics in early twentieth century England' (Manchester University Press, 2013).

I have an interest in connecting history with policy-making and was involved in the British Academy/ Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Trade Policy History, where Iwrote about 'Britain's turn to Europe' prior to its entry into the EEC. I lead the History & Policy Global Economics and History Foum with Marc-William Palen (Exeter) and Andrew Dilley (Abderdeen). The forum aims to bring together academics, business groups, policy makers and members of the general public interested in how understandings of historical trade relations can inform current policy debates.

Biography:

I moved to the UK from Aotearoa New Zealand at a young age and undertook degrees at Nottingham (BA History) and Oxford (Mst History). I studied for a PhD in History at Cambridge under the supervision of Prof. Jon Lawrence, graduating in 2009. After teaching at The Queen's College, Oxford for a year I moved to Exeter in autumn 2010 as a Lecturer. I was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2013, Associate Professor in 2019, and Professor in 2023.

Research supervision:

I am happy to supervise students who wish to study topics which broadly correlate with my research interests.