Alex Brown

I am an Associate Professor of Medieval History and the Associate Dean of Research in the Arts and Humanities Faculty at Durham University. My work focuses on the social and economic history of medieval England. This period witnessed famine, disease, warfare and revolt on a devastating scale. I have published widely in academic journals on a range of topics, including most recently on medieval oaths of fidelity, social security in old age, institutional memory, enclosure riots, sick leave of tenants, recovery from the Black Death, and memories of plague.

Between 2024-27, I am the Principal Investigator on the research project 'Modelling the Black Death and Social Connectivity in Medieval England', funded by the Leverhulme Trust. Using the latest computer modelling developed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are simulating the spread of the Black Death in England in order to test hypotheses about the spread of the disease and about the connectedness of medieval society.

I have published widely on the above research here in The Conversation, including articles on sick leave, survivors of the Black Death, memories of plague, the medieval warm period, the impact of historical volcanoes, Robin Hood, and the Uprising and the Peasants' Revolt. The late Middle Ages offer valuable insights into how past societies have grappled with climatic change, epidemic disease, and social inequality, which resonate with many of the challenges facing modern societies.