Early modern studies

Explore our research

Early modern studies at LJMU covers the local, the global and the cosmic, examining a wide range of interconnected areas of early modern culture. We are interested in the transmission of ideas around politics; religion; gender; materialities; the history of science and ecology. Our work considers how early modern writers understood the wider world and the universe by focusing on: sensory experience, banqueting and historic sound studies; maritime Britain; travel and literary geography. We have a long history of working with local heritage sites: current work includes exploring the soundscapes of recusancy and acoustic space of Speke Hall, a Tudor manor house on the outskirts of Liverpool, and Shakespeare North, an exciting and groundbreaking project which will build a replica Jacobean indoor playhouse in Prescot, on the site of the first purpose-built playhouse constructed outside of London in the sixteenth century. Other projects that embody our interests in the relationship between literary and dramatic performances include the AHRC-funded research network Soundscapes in the Early Modern World and the textual editing of James Shirley.

People

Meet the researchers working within this research group.