Dr Simon Topping

Biography

Dr Simon Topping is Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer), School of Humanities and Performing Arts (Faculty of Arts & Humanities) Dr Simon Topping is Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer), School of Humanities and Performing Arts (Faculty of Arts & Humanities)

Research Interest

I am currently working on a book project provisionally entitled Faithful Sentinel: Northern Ireland, the United States and the Era of the Second World War. This will analyse the positive reaction of the government of Northern Ireland, the only self-governing region of the United Kingdom at the time, to the presence of the American military. Stormont saw the war effort and association with the United States as a way of strengthening the union. Conversely, I will also consider how the issues and problems of Northern Ireland were reported back to Washington by the Belfast consulate, and the attitude of the American minister in Eire during the war, David Gray, towards partition and Irish history more generally. The final aspect of this research analyses the efforts of the Northern Ireland government to seek support for, and investment in, the country after the war, concentrating primarily on Prime Minister Brooke’s tour of North America in 1950. I am hoping to publish this book in 2019.