Dr. Clare Pettitt

Biography

Clare Pettitt is a Professor at the University of Cambridge in the Faculty of English, specializing in the long nineteenth century. Her research investigates the origins linked to phenomena such as structural racism, climate change, and nationalism. Currently, she is finishing a trilogy that spans the years 1815-1914, focusing on the concept of 'seriality' and its importance in the emergence of Western modernity. She has published several influential works, including 'Serial Forms: Unfinished Project Modernity, 1815-1848', which won prestigious awards such as the British Academy’s Rose Mary Crawshay Prize. She has contributed significantly to the field with explorations of the political implications of literature during transformative historical periods, particularly in relation to the events of 1848. Pettitt has also co-authored works concerning Victorian art and literature, engaging with the complexities of media and technology as viewed through the Victorian lens. Her academic career includes various notable appointments and collaborations, including roles as a Research Director and Visiting Scholar in esteemed institutions. She actively supervises graduate students, mentoring around thirty PhD candidates throughout her career, across a diverse array of topics within Victorian studies.

Research Interests

Experience