School of History, Classics & Archaeology

Histories of Gender and Sexuality Research Group

The Histories of Gender and Sexuality Research Group is an interdisciplinary research group based in the School of History, Classics and Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh.

(HGS) brings together staff and postgraduate students whose research embraces gender, sexuality and/or women’s history. Important shared interests currently include structure and agency in theory and practice; gender and systems of regulation; fertility and reproduction.

Through a range of formal and informal events (HGS) encourages critical exploration of crucial theoretical and methodological questions, and promotes the history of gender and sexuality across disciplines and periods from prehistory to the contemporary world.  Alongside a seminar series we also organise work-in-progress sessions, roundtables, workshops and symposia. (HGS) is designed to provide a forum in which both staff and student research can flourish, and current PhD students act as group co-ordinators alongside academic staff. 

(HGS) runs regular seminars throughout the academic year to which all are welcome. See seminar information here.

Current projects

Co-ordinators

Academic staff members

Archaeology

Honorary staff and emeriti

Current PhD students 

  • Kathryn Comper, ‘Church Discipline and the Godly Community in Scotland, 1660-1712’
  • Thomas Crepin, ‘The Intersex Movement and Christian Denominations in the United States since 1990’
  • Abigail Fletcher, ‘From Partition to Decriminalisation: Homosexuality in Northern Ireland 1921-1982’Jax Hughes, ‘The Changing Lives of Roman Freedwomen: Ancient and Modern at the Crossroads in the Long Twentieth Century’
  • Barbara Gabeler, ‘A Conspiracy of Silence: Abortion, Birth Control and Eugenics in Early Twentieth-century Scotland’
  • Moss Pepe, ‘Gender Non-conformity in Medieval French Romance’
  • Mara Schmueckle, 'Dispensing Marriage in Pre-Reformation Scotland'
  • Cecilia White, 'Assessing Changes in Elite Women's Garments in Fourteenth-century England'