Skip navigation

Prof Julian Wright

Professor

Department: Humanities

Julian has been Head of the Department of Humanities since 2017. He is a historian of modern Europe and the author of two books with Oxford University Press, on regionalism and socialism. Julian is particularly fascinated by the idea and experience of time in the present. Working with colleagues from other disciplines, he recently brought out a ground-breaking volume with the Proceedings of the British Academy, 'Time on a Human Scale' which puts the human present back into the cultural, philosophical and literary history of Europe between 1860 and 1930.

Julian's new project on the experience of ordinary people who were living 'outside of time' in the era of the Second World War demands a focus on the practices of the everyday, from writing to performing to familial relationships, and how people tried to reconstruct these ordinary temporal rhythms in difficult conditions, from those living under siege to prisoners in camps or people living in secrecy in occupied Europe.

Before appointment to Northumbria University in 2017, Julian taught at Durham University for thirteen years. Earlier, he was a Junior Research Fellow at Christ Church Oxford and prior to that a Senior Scholar of the Modern History Faculty in Oxford, where he was educated as an undergraduate and DPhil student. He has held a visiting professorship at the École des hautes Études en Sciences sociales, Paris. 

Julian is a Council Member and Secretary for Professional Engagement of the Royal Historical Society.

Julian Wright

Campus Address

Office: Lipman 108



The author of two books with Oxford University Press, on regionalism and socialism, Julian is particularly fascinated by the idea and experience of time in the present. Working with colleagues from many other institutions and disciplines, he is leading a project called 'Time on a Human Scale' which puts the human present back into the cultural, philosophical and literary history of Europe between 1860 and 1930.

Julian's new project on the experience of ordinary people who were living 'outside of time' in the era of the Second World War demands a focus on the practices of the everyday, from writing to performing to familial relationships, and how people tried to reconstruct these ordinary temporal rhythms in difficult conditions, from those living under siege to prisoners in camps or people living in secrecy in occupied Europe.

  • Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
  • The Times of Tyranny and Democracy. A Reflection on Élie Halévy and Twentieth-century Concepts of Time, Wright, J. 8 Feb 2019, Élie Halévy et L'Ère des tyrannies, Paris, Editions Les Belles Lettres
  • Socialism and the Experience of Time: Idealism and the Present in Modern France, Wright, J. 6 Jul 2017
  • A lesson in revolution: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, 'The Communist Manifesto', Wright, J. 22 Oct 2015, Revolutionary Moments, London, Bloomsbury
  • Socialism and political identity: Eugene Fourniere and intellectual militancy in the Third Republic, Wright, J. Jul 2013, In: French Historical Studies
  • Les réformistes au secours d’une femme en deuil. Une petite histoire de réseaux et de recherches socialistes à la veille de la Grande Guerre, Wright, J. 2012, In: Cahiers Jaurès
  • Pluralism and the Idea of the Republic in France, Wright, J., Jones, H. 2012
  • Réformisme et historiographie révolutionnaire: Georges Renard et Eugène Fournière, historiens du XIXe siècle, Wright, J. 2012, In: Mil neuf cent. Revue d'histoire intellectuelle
  • Vision and reality: Joseph Paul-Boncour and Third Republic pluralism, Wright, J. Jul 2012, Pluralism and the Idea of the Republic, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan
  • After the Affair: the Congrès de la Jeunesse and intellectual reconciliation in 1900, Wright, J. Dec 2009, In: French History
  • One mind at Locarno? Aristide Briand and Gustav Stresemann, Wright, J., Wright, J. 2008, Mental Maps in the Era of Two World Wars, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan

  • Modern History DPhil July 01 2002
  • Fellow Royal Historical Society 2017


a sign in front of a crowd
+

Northumbria Open Days

Open Days are a great way for you to get a feel of the University, the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the course(s) you are interested in.

Research at Northumbria
+

Research at Northumbria

Research is the life blood of a University and at Northumbria University we pride ourselves on research that makes a difference; research that has application and affects people's lives.

NU World
+

Explore NU World

Find out what life here is all about. From studying to socialising, term time to downtime, we’ve got it covered.


Latest News and Features

Crime scene
Sustainable condenser tumble dryers
View of the countryside from Richmond, London. People on green grass field near lake during daytime
The Crypt at Newcastle Cathedral
Event aims to connect academic knowledge and policy makers
More news
More events

Upcoming events

Grow Your Own – How To Attract, Develop and Retain a Talented Team.
The Building Safety Act and its Implications

Back to top