David Barnes is an expert in literary and cultural history, with a particular interest in nationalism and fascism. He has held full-time academic posts at Birmingham and Oxford universities. In 2016-17, he was the Lillian Gary Taylor visiting fellow in American literature at the University of Virginia. His work is increasingly engaged with medical and environmental history, and the space of overlap between political, cultural, literary and scientific discourses. Barnes regularly writes for a London-based radio production company, Cast Iron. He is currently producing a series for BBC Radio 3.