At Durham University, we conduct innovative and impactful research to transform lives and make a difference, globally and locally. Our Business School is internationally triple accredited, and one of the longest established in the UK. Our business scholars are changing how we understand leadership, accountability, sustainability, supply chains, financial inclusion, financial technologies, banking, economic theory and environmental economics.
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Wives earning more than husbands linked to rising mental health diagnoses in couples
Women becoming the breadwinner of the family can result in a higher likelihood of mental health issues for both husbands and wives, research conducted by our Economics Department reveals. The study, conducted by Dr Demid Getik, explores how mental health is related to income make-up within couples by examining the link between annual income rises for women and the number of clinical mental health diagnoses over a set period of time. It finds that as more women take on the breadwinner role in the household, the number of mental health related incidences also increases.
Hedging political risk boosts portfolio performance
Hedging against political risks enhances international stock portfolio performance more effectively than diversification alone, according to a study involving Professor of Operations Management and Finance, Stavros Zenios. The researchers discovered that managing political risk enables investors to build stronger, more resilient portfolios while retaining the advantages of international diversification. This approach boosted performance for investors in key markets such as the US, Eurozone, and Japan.
Optimistic Federal Reserve language reduces market uncertainty and risk aversion
Optimistic language used by the Federal Reserve (Fed) in their communication can reduce market uncertainty and risk aversion in the US, UK and Eurozone equity markets, according to new research from the Department of Finance. The study also found that the Fed’s language became even more influential during recessions and times of high policy uncertainty, such as elections.

At Durham University, we conduct innovative and impactful research to transform lives and make a difference, globally and locally. We are dedicated to pursuing social justice, undertaking fearless research that leads to policy and societal change and reform.
In social sciences and health, we have leading voices in the investigation of violence and abuse, climatology and urban sustainability, anthropology, where we span social, evolutionary and health anthropology, and archaeology, including the protection of heritage in the face of humanitarian or environmental crisis.
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Cracks in Greenland Ice Sheet growing more rapidly
Dr Tom Chudley, in our Department of Geography, led a new large-scale study of crevasses – wedge-shaped fractures or cracks – on the world’s second largest body of ice. They found crevasses had significantly increased in size and depth at the fast-flowing edges of the Greenland ice sheet over the five years between 2016 and 2021 – meaning the increases are happening more quickly than previously detected.
Helping change law on sexually explicit deepfakes
Creating a sexually explicit deepfake is set to become a criminal offence in the UK, thanks in part to the work of a leading Durham law professor Clare McGlynn. While it was already a criminal offence to share sexual deepfakes – digitally altered images and videos where someone’s likeness is superimposed into pornography - creating them wasn’t. That will now change after the UK Government said it would adopt a proposal drafted by Professor McGlynn and Baroness Charlotte Owen to ensure the new law is comprehensive and consent-based.
Will Donald Trump be ranked as a great president? Here’s what the research tells us
Presidential “greatness” is a difficult thing to define, although many people have tried. Research on the role of US presidents has attempted to define how previous presidents rank compared to their peers. There is general agreement that the United States has had three truly great presidents and several truly terrible presidents. But what makes these presidents great or terrible, and how will President Trump end up ranking compared to other US presidents? Associate Professor in US Politics, David Andersen, explores more.

At Durham University, we conduct innovative and impactful research to transform lives and make a difference, globally and locally.
Our Arts and Humanities Faculty is characterized by a commitment to global reach and historic depth, combining tradition and innovation to yield outstanding success across our departments.
Discover more from our Arts and Humanities research community.
Leading the campaign for Classics education for all
Classics Professor Edith Hall is passionate about the lessons we can learn from ancient civilisations and making classics education available to all. She has also collaborated with prison education charity Novus to deliver a pilot project teaching classics in prisons.
Do aliens exist? Our philosophers studied what scientists really think
Professor Peter Vickers carried out four surveys regarding the likely existence of basic, complex, or intelligent extraterrestrial life. Of the 521 astrobiologists that responded, 86.6% either ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ that it’s likely that extraterrestrial life, of at least a basic kind, exists somewhere in the universe. 88.4% of 534 responding biologists, physicists and other scientists (not studying extraterrestrial life) concurred.
PhD scholar reveals the emotional impact of the White Ship disaster
Harriet Strahl, a PhD student in our History department, has shed new light on the emotional and societal repercussions of the 1120CE White Ship disaster on 12th-century Anglo-Norman society. The White Ship struck a rock near Barfleur, Normandy, drowning around 300 people including King Henry I’s heir, Willian Adelin, as well as many young nobles, knights, and sailors.

Research from the Department of Biosciences at Durham University addresses fundamentally important questions facing humankind, from food security to sustainability in industrial processes, mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and the impact of climate change on life on earth.
Climate change is altering species distributions across the world, and this is particularly marked in the Arctic where warming is occurring most rapidly. 
Our bioscientists, Professor Stephen Willis and Beth Gillie, have been exploring how Arctic marine species could be impacted by climate change and rising sea temperatures in the future. Together with the Fisheries and Marine Institute at Memorial University in Canada, our researchers have explored how future expansions of new species into an area of Arctic Ocean could impact the existing marine communities.  
They focused on the North Water Polynya, a large area of open water surrounded by sea-ice between Canada and Greenland, which is one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the Arctic.  
The team explored future potential changes to the local food web. They analysed how changes to the amount of one species in an area will impact other species, whether they interact directly or indirectly. 
As the ocean warms, the team projected that capelin, a warmer water small fish, would become more abundant in the study area, whilst plankton numbers could either increase or decrease depending upon how water circulation and temperature change in future.  
Killer whales were predicted to be more common in future, particularly as the sea-ice free season lengthens. 
When these changes were added into food web models to simulate future species population changes, some unexpected findings emerged.  
Polar bear numbers halved in response to declines in phytoplankton numbers, the latter being tiny photosynthesising organisms in the open ocean.  
Changes to the numbers of larger, energy-rich copepods (tiny crustaceans) had the largest effect on the entire ecosystem.  Their decline was linked to reduced numbers of Arctic cod, ringed seals, beluga whales and polar bears.  
Increased colonisation by capelin was also projected to have a similar effect, whilst the addition of killer whales to the ecosystem led to more substantial declines of narwals and seals.
Photo credit: Steve Lindsay

At Durham University we have developed considerable and world-renowned expertise in space technology and research.
To enhance this work, we’ve launched the £5m Durham University Space Research Centre (SPARC).
SPARC will support North East England’s growing space industry and lead on the sustainable exploration of the cosmos.
The centre includes researchers from our departments of Physics, Law, Government and International Affairs, Computer Science and Durham University Business School.
It aims to be at the forefront of scientific advancement, business development, space law and the sustainable exploration of space.
SPARC’s goals include providing high-quality training and education to develop a skills pipeline of enthusiastic, creative and highly sought after workers for the regional and national space industry.
It will also engage with industry and policymakers to influence change in governance and space sustainability.
We’ve also become a European Space Agency (ESA) Laboratory, making us part of the ESA Lab network.
This gives us access to ESA's technical expertise, state-of-the-art facilities, and funding opportunities.
ESA Lab status also means further international collaboration, joint research initiatives, and technology transfer opportunities, alongside specialised training and student exchange programmes.
And it provides more opportunity for other academic institutions and industry to collaborate with us to access our expertise and facilities in instrumentation.
Durham’s Centre for Advanced Instrumentation, already builds components for some of the world’s biggest telescope and satellite projects, which are helping to further our understanding of space.
Commercial partners and government agencies who have worked with us include the UK Space Agency, ESA and NASA.
Professor James Osborn, Director, Durham University Space Research Centre said: “Space is a rapidly growing sector which supports our improving quality of life and protecting our planet.
“Now is the time to develop technology and ideas for a sustainable future in space and the establishment of SPARC and our ESA Lab status will support us in achieving this.”
Find out more about our Centre for Advanced Instrumentation, and our departments of Physics, Law, Government and International Affairs, Computer Science and Durham University Business School.

Research and responsibility are at the core of Durham University. We are a world-leading centre of geographic research and education.
Professor Erin McClymont and Dr Ewan Wakefield from our Department of Geography, with the British Antarctic Survey, have been studying how Antarctica’s rapidly receding sea ice could have a negative impact on the food supply of seabirds that breed hundreds of miles away from the continent.
The researchers used satellite technology to track the movement of albatrosses, and their close relatives, petrels, which typically breed on islands in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica.
They found that the birds fly huge distances to parts of the ocean affected by sea ice to either feed in the nutrient enriched waters left behind when Antarctica’s sea ice melts each summer or, in the case of southern giant petrels, to feed in ice-covered areas, probably by scavenging on dead seals.
The researchers analysed data showing the movements of seven species of albatross and large petrel from the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, which is about 1,000 miles from Antarctica.  In total they looked at 2,497 foraging trips made by 1,289 of the seabirds from satellite data collected between 1992 and 2023. 
In the last five years, sea ice in Antarctica has begun to recede at a quicker rate, which could force seabirds to travel further from their breeding grounds to find food or it could alter the patterns of where that food can be found. In turn, this could also affect the ecosystems these birds are a part of.
Our Department of Geography is ranked 16th in the QS World Rankings by Subject 2024. Our specialisms span from Antarctica, Greenland and the Arctic to Bangladesh, China and the emergent economies, as well as regions closer to home.
Photo credit: Professor Richard Phillips, British Antarctic Survey

The Department of Archaeology at Durham University is ranked joint fifth in the QS World Rankings by Subject 2024. We are one of the largest archaeology departments in the world, home to excellent facilities and a global leader for archaeological research.
Recent research into a medieval village in southern Spain has found that a ‘lost’ earthquake is likely to have caused its abandonment in the 13th century.
Our archaeologists have been investigating the El Castillejo Islamic settlement in Los Guajares, Granada, as part of the ArMedEa project (Archaeology of medieval earthquakes in Europe AD100-1550). Previous excavations suggested that the site was occupied between the 11th and mid-14th centuries but didn’t explain why it was destroyed and largely abandoned.
Fresh excavations by former Durham Archaeology Research Associate Dr Paolo Forlin and his team found clear evidence that the site had been affected by a destructive earthquake. Their findings have been published in the journal, PLOS ONE, in collaboration with palaeoseismologists from RWTH Aachen University and archaeologists from the University of Granada.
The researchers used radiocarbon and OSL (optically stimulated luminescence) to date excavated materials such as plant remains, sediment and fired ceramic brick. They analysed the cracked, tilted and collapsed walls of the settlement and by opening new archaeological trenches, uncovered occupation surfaces sealed by fallen debris.
Importantly, the team found burnt beams and charred plant remains which indicated that a fire was triggered by the earthquake that hit the settlement. This was likely started by hearths, braziers or candles falling over during the seismic tremors, thus indicating the settlement was occupied at the time of the earthquake.
The team concluded that the earthquake hit the El Castillejo settlement within a period of around 40-years between CE 1224-1266. This makes it the earliest recorded earthquake in the Granada region and solves the mystery as to why the village was largely abandoned and later reoccupied on a smaller scale.
The team is now hoping that further archaeological excavations in the wider Granada region will reveal whether other sites surrounding El Castillejo were affected by the same earthquake and to what extent they were damaged.
Research and responsibility are at the core of Durham University. By identifying patterns from the past, archaeology can help inform contemporary seismic disaster prevention and reduction. We are home to some of the most talented researchers and scholars from around the world, tackling global issues, and making a difference to people's lives.

Durham University has an international triple accredited Business School focused on sharing insights, supporting innovation and teaching tomorrow’s leaders. We believe that to succeed in business, you need to get closer to the realities of business.
Professor Spyros Angelopoulos from our Business School, along with colleagues from Cambridge University Judge Business School, Cranfield School of Management, The University of Sydney Business School and Charles Sturt University, has concluded a study revealing that black female leaders take more career-focused risks than any other leader – including white female leaders – to reach the top leadership positions.
The team examined the career paths of female leaders from a range of backgrounds spanning 1850-2019, including Rosa Parks, Michelle Obama, and Oprah Winfrey, to understand the risks they took and the challenges they faced.
The study delineated three career stages—identification, progression, and achievement. Identification focuses on the start of a career, on the decision about which field to pursue and how much risk to take. Progression focuses on the move to leadership, and achievement focuses on gaining prominence and acceptance as a leader. At each stage, black female leaders were more likely to take risks to progress.
“Despite modest progress in the representation of women in senior leadership positions, black women continue to face being promoted at a slower pace and are significantly underrepresented in top leadership roles,” says Prof. Angelopoulos.
“The statistics reflect this disparity: in 2021, white women held 32.6% of managerial positions in the US, while black women occupied only 4.3% of such positions. It’s clear that we need to create a more inclusive environment for black women to flourish in their career, not constantly having to overcome hurdles.”
The study revealed that as their careers progressed, white women tended to reduce risk-taking behaviours, whilst black women took increasingly more risks. The findings suggest that there has been a lack of progression for black female leaders, and with the same challenges persisting for around 200 years, further action is needed to improve inclusion for these leaders and ensure they do not need to take extreme risks to succeed.
At Durham University Business School, we combine academic excellence, insightful research and exceptional global business connections, to equip our students and alumni to become innovative business thinkers of the future and influential in and beyond their careers.

Research and responsibility are at the core of Durham University. We are home to some of the most talented researchers and scholars from around the world, tackling global issues, and making a difference to people's lives.
Dr Tom Hamilton from our Department of History has discovered criminal records revealing a rare, 400-year-old legal case which successfully prosecuted a soldier for sexual crimes during Europe’s notoriously violent Wars of Religion.
The case was led by powerful widow and landowner, Renée Chevalier, who was appalled by the sexual abuse of villagers on her land in central France committed by military captain, Mathurin Delacanche from 1590-91.
Almost a decade later, following the end of the Wars of Religion, Chevalier was determined to seek justice and transported 57 villagers by boat from central France to bring their case before the high court in Paris. She won the case and Mathurin Delacanche was found guilty and hanged in 1600.
The success of this case shows that, even in the 16th century, such atrocities were not to be tolerated. Justice was served, challenging assumptions that rape and pillage were widely tolerated at the time.
Even more remarkable was that that such a landmark case was instigated and won by a woman, who used her wealth and influence to fight for justice for her villagers.
Dr Hamilton believes this case provides a new, historical legal precedent relevant today, when sexual violence remains a weapon in war.
He suggests that if such crimes could be prosecuted over 400 years ago, then international and national courts should challenge themselves to do so with greater success in the 21st century.
This view was supported by Professor Nicole Westmarland, Director of our Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse (CRiVA), who commented; “As we continue to see significant barriers to obtaining justice in rape and serious sexual offence cases, Dr Tom Hamilton’s book on what happened in the past gives us renewed optimism for the future.”
Our Department of History is ranked in the top 50 globally. Our research and teaching extend from late antiquity and the Middle Ages to contemporary history; from the British Isles and continental Europe to the USA, Africa, South and East Asia; and across social, cultural, gender, visual, scientific, environmental, political, and economic history.