Queen’s academic shortlisted for Wolfson History Prize 2025
Dr Kieran Connell, reader of contemporary British history from the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Wolfson History Prize 2025.
Dr Connell’s book, Multicultural Britain: A People’s History, is one of six shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize 2025, which awards £50,000 to the winner, making it the most valuable history writing prize in the UK.
The book draws on Dr Connell’s Irish and German heritage and his childhood in Birmingham’s Balsall Heath, to explore multicultural communities across post-Imperial Britain at key moments in their development, from 1940s Cardiff to the millennial Midlands, unveiling British multiculturalism as a rich and complex lived reality.
“I am delighted to have been shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize”, said Dr Connell. “It is a tremendous honour for my book to have been recognised by a judging panel made up of some of the most famous historians in the world.”
“Multicultural Britain: A People’s History is about immigration, ethnic diversity and other issues that have unfortunately become some of the most controversial of modern times. I hope that being shortlisted for the most prestigious history prize in the UK will contribute, if only in a small way, towards a healthier contemporary political discussion.”
The Wolfson History Prize was first awarded in 1972 and is given to historians who have written a book which is carefully researched, well-written and accessible to the non-specialist reader.
Commenting on Dr Connell’s book, the Wolfson History Prize judges said: “Original and captivating, this book is an evocative exploration of multiculturalism in Britain from the 1940s onwards, seen through the overlooked experiences of four communities.”
Professor Richard Miles, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Queen's commented: “Dr Connell’s shortlisting for the Wolfson History Prize underlines the strength of Queen’s University Belfast as a global centre for research and scholarship. We are proud to see his work recognised on such a distinguished stage, and his book is a powerful reminder of how history can illuminate today’s society and enrich public debate.”
The winner will be announced on Tuesday 2 December 2025.
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Media enquiries to Colm Heatley on email: C.Heatley@qub.ac.uk