Olivia Bennison
Research Topic
The impact of the British Civil Wars on the experience of disability, 1640-1700
Supervisor: Andrew Hopper and Ismini Pells
Research
My research asesses how the British Civil Wars (1642-1651) impacted the experience of physical disability in the seventeenth century. The conflict required the country to adapt to a large rise in its disabled population and in doing so it needed to create a more robust infrastructure to support disabled veterans and civillians. My thesis adresses how post-war society catered to the needs of these disabled people, how disabled people advocated for themselves, and how others represented their needs on their behalf. The primary source base for my research is the Civil War Petitions project which can be found here.
My research is supported by the Arts and Humanities Council and the Clarendon Fund.
About Me
I completed my undergraduate degree in History and masters degree in Social and Economic History (Research Methods) at Durham University. Inbetween my masters degree and commencing my DPhil study, I spent a year working in Access, Engagement and Widening Participation. My primary interest is disability history, I am also keenly interested in the social and gender history of early modern England.
Blog
‘Meamed and Lamed’: Approaching Civil War Petitions through the Lens of Disability History, Civil War Petitions Project, 2022.
