Jose Harris

Jose Harris is Emeritus Professor of Modern History and was a tutorial fellow in history at St Catherine's 1978-97. Her main interests are in intellectual history, political thought, and the history of social and economic policy. She wrote a biography of William Beveridge , the inventor of the 'welfare state', and edited and translated Ferdinand Tonnies's classic text Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft. Her most recent book was Civil Society in British History (2003).

She mainly teaches graduates, but runs two undergraduate courses - a special subject on War and Reconstruction, 1939-45, and a further subject on nineteenth century political and social thought. She is a fellow of the British Academy. When time allows she likes hill-walking, small boats, ruins, painting and potting.