Aberystwyth academic elected Fellow of Royal Historical Society

Dr Lucy Taylor

An Aberystwyth University academic has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in recognition of her contribution to historical scholarship.

Dr Lucy Taylor, Senior Lecturer in Latin American Studies in the Department of International Politics, researches colonialism and citizenship in Y Wladfa, the Welsh settlement in Patagonia.

Her work examines the relationships between Welsh settlers and Indigenous communities in Argentina, how stories about the settlement continue to shape Welsh society today and discussions about history and identity.

Her 2025 book, ‘Global Politics of Welsh Patagonia: Settler Colonialism from the Margins’, challenges familiar accounts of the Welsh settlement by exploring its place in Argentina’s colonial history.

Drawing on archival sources and Indigenous perspectives, the book offers a broader understanding of the experiences and relationships that shaped Y Wladfa.

Dr Taylor said:

“I’m delighted to have been elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. It’s an honour to be part of a society with such a long history, but which also promotes a decolonial agenda.

“I hope my research will encourage people to look beyond familiar accounts of Welsh Patagonia. This includes recognising the complex relationships between Welsh settlers and Indigenous communities, as well as Mapuche-Tehuelche experiences during the nineteenth century - and today.”

Dr Philip Carter, Director of the Royal Historical Society, said:

“Many congratulations to Dr Lucy Taylor on her election to the Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society. Fellowship recognises the important contribution that historians like Lucy make, in the UK and worldwide, to historical research and our understanding of the past. Lucy's election is especially welcome as it follows a recent visit to historians at Aberystwyth by the Royal Historical Society. Here we saw at first hand the excellent work Lucy and her colleagues undertake for their students and the wider community."

Founded in 1868, the Royal Historical Society supports historians and promotes historical research in the UK and internationally. The Society's work includes advocating for the value of history, publishing research, organising events and providing research funding. Its Fellowship recognises original contributions to historical scholarship.

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