Robbie Richardson

Dr. Robbie Richardson is a distinguished scholar and Assistant Professor at the Department of English at Princeton University, specializing in eighteenth-century British and transatlantic literature and culture. His research is characterized by a profound exploration of the interactions between Indigenous and European cultures during this era. Dr. Richardson's work is at the cutting edge of interdisciplinary research, delving into how literature, material culture, and historical contexts converge to shape cultural identities and narratives. Dr. Richardson's academic journey began with a PhD in English and Cultural Studies from McMaster University in Canada. His doctoral research focused on the cultural exchanges between Indigenous peoples and European settlers, laying the groundwork for his future scholarly pursuits. Following his PhD, he was awarded a prestigious SSHRC postdoctoral fellowship, which he undertook at the Institute for Comparative Studies in Literature, Art, and Culture at Carleton University. This period allowed him to refine his expertise in comparative and interdisciplinary studies. His academic career has been notably international, with a significant tenure in London, where he taught at the University of Kent in Canterbury and Paris. This experience enriched his understanding of European literature and material culture, particularly in relation to Indigenous peoples from North America and the South Pacific. These insights have deeply influenced his research, which continues to examine the intersections of literature, history, and cultural studies. One of Dr. Richardson's most significant contributions is his book, "The Savage and Modern Self: North American Indians in Eighteenth-Century British Literature and Culture," published by the University of Toronto Press in 2018. This groundbreaking work investigates the representations of North American Indigenous peoples in British cultural outputs, arguing that these depictions were integral to broader British cultural debates about consumerism, colonialism, and national identity. The book has been acclaimed for its nuanced analysis and its illumination of how Indigenous cultures were appropriated within British cultural discourses of the eighteenth century. Dr. Richardson is currently engaged in a major research project examining the history of Indigenous objects from the Americas and the South Pacific in European collections up to 1800. This study explores how these objects were collected, displayed, and interpreted by Europeans, particularly in Britain, and how they influenced contemporary understandings of history, culture, and identity. His research has been widely published in academic journals and edited volumes, covering topics such as British depictions of wampum and the trade in tomahawks and scalping knives. Beyond his research, Dr. Richardson is actively involved in the academic community. He is co-editing a special issue of the journal Eighteenth-Century Fiction titled "The Indigenous Eighteenth Century," which aims to bring together scholarship examining the roles and representations of Indigenous peoples within the literature and culture of the eighteenth century. His work is informed by his personal background as a member of the Pabineau First Nation, a Mi’kmaw community in New Brunswick, Canada. This heritage plays a crucial role in shaping his perspectives and approach to research. Through his teaching, research, and writing, Dr. Robbie Richardson has made substantial contributions to the study of eighteenth-century British and transatlantic literature and culture, Indigenous Studies, and the history of art and material culture. His interdisciplinary approach has opened new avenues of inquiry, bridging the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholarship. Dr. Richardson's work not only enhances our understanding of the past but also has important implications for contemporary cultural exchange, representation, and identity.