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Sam Young

Mr Sam Young

Research student

School of Modern Languages

Overview

I am a PhD student in the School of Modern Languages, where I am researching the history of social Catholicism in industrial France between 1927 and 1939. My work is funded by the AHRC South West & Wales Doctoral Training Partnership (SWW DTP2) and supervised by Prof. Hanna Diamond (Cardiff, MLANG) and Prof. Marion Demossier (Southampton). 

I studied for a BA (Joint Hons.) in History & French at the University of Nottingham between 2014 and 2018, during which time I spent a year working in Paris for Steele & Holt press agency and ESIEE engineering college. I later completed an MA in Modern History at the University of Sheffield, specialising in post-war French politics. I began my PhD at Cardiff in October 2019.

While at Cardiff, I have acted as General Editor of Question, the postgraduate journal of the SWW DTP (2019-21), and  postgraduate co-lead for the History & Heritage research theme within MLANG (2020-22). Over 2022, I also worked as project assistant on All Is Not Well 2.0, a comic art project focusing on homelessness and homeless services.

I have taught on the French module ML6187 'National and Global Perspectives on France' (2020-21), while undertaking Cardiff University's Learning To Teach programme. Following this, I gained Advance HE Associate Fellowship status in September 2022.

During autumn 2022 I suspended my studies to undertake a three-month UKRI placement at Senedd Research, the research division of Senedd Cymru, the Welsh Parliament. During this placement I worked for the Economy, Communities and Local Government research team on a range of topics, including housing, homelessness, social care, land use and tourism.

Publication

2020

Books

Research

My research interests cover various aspects of French, religious and social history:

  • The Industrial Revolution in France and its political, social and cultural consequences
  • French social Catholicism, including Christian syndicalism and working-class youth movements
  • The historical relationship between Christianity and Communism 
  • Social policy in France during the interwar and postwar periods

I am also interested in broader questions relating to:

  • Social policy, especially that of Europe and North America during the mid-twentieth century
  • Social Catholicism and the role of religion in industrial societies and political systems
  • Housing development in the interwar and postwar periods

Thesis

Towards Days of Joy: the role of Catholic social teaching in the rise of the Jeunesse ouvrière chrétienne movement in France, 1927-1940

Teaching

  • ML6187 'National and Global Perspectives on France' (Cardiff MLANG), 2020-21 

Supervisors

Hanna Diamond

Hanna Diamond

Professor of French History