Welcome to the Centre for British Studies. Based at Harlaxton College, the British campus of the University of Evansville, Indiana, we are partially financed by US grant-giving bodies such as the Lilly and the Wheeler foundation.

The British Studies Programme

The focus of the centre is our undergraduate programme in British Studies. Taught through lectures, seminars and field trips by the Harlaxton faculty, the programme offers an inter-disciplinary examination of all aspects of British history, from the Romans to the present day. A unique strength of the British Studies programme is our location. Harlaxton manor was built at the height of the Victorian age, when concepts of Britishness were evolving, becoming fused with notions of history, empire and class. Our students therefore learn about Britain in a house that evokes all the complexities of the British identity.

Research and Pedagogy

The Centre for British Studies, through its faculty, also has an active research profile. Faculty members have published a number of works addressing a range of historical issues, including the life and death of Edward the Black Prince, the Great Estate system in England, and Shakespeare in performance. Recent journal articles consider topics such as medieval English colonialism, masculinity, the 1885 general election, and early socialist movements in Britain. We also have a strong interest in study-abroad pedagogy, and have presented a number of papers on this subject.

The Question of ‘Britishness’

Our research and teaching deal with the subject of national identities within the British Isles, and the question of 'Britishness'. These issues have recently become the subject of much debate in the media and among politicians, for example, Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s fervent appeal to Britishness. Throughout the academic year, the Centre for British Studies, through its Gold Room Lecture Series, hosts a variety of public lecutures on these issues, and we welcome proposals for guest lectures and conferences.

If you have a proposal for a guest lecture or would like to know more about the work of the Centre for British Studies, you can email us directly at hsnow@harlaxton.ac.uk.