Research Interests: Multispecies Ethnography; Microhistory; Human-Animal Relations; Tacit Knowledge
Biography: Originally from Northumberland, Alex grew up in Bristol, before going on to do a bachelor’s in Ancient and Modern History at Oxford. He spent two years working as copywriter, editor, and web developer in the marketing industry – the wilderness years – before beginning a master’s in Early Modern History at Uppsala University, Sweden. His thesis was a micro-historical study of Captain Matthew Flinders’ cat Trim (1797–1804): the first cat to circumnavigate Australia. Alex used Trim’s interactions with the sailors he travelled with as a window into early modern experiences of gender and race.
Alex’s PhD is part of the ‘Don’t Feed the Animals’ research project, under the supervision of Garry Marvin and Stuart Semple. In this ethnographic study, he will investigate the drivers and consequences of animal feeding practices at Edinburgh Zoo, and the relationships these engender between visitors, keepers, and animals.
