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Elena Porter

Elena’s research is on the history of heritage lobbying in Britain, focusing on how policy that affects privately-owned historic houses has changed since 1950. Her doctoral thesis reassesses the active construction of the British country house as a symbol of national identity, and offers an alternative perspective on the influence of inherited wealth in British politics. It contextualises British governments’ approaches to built heritage preservation within broader cultural and political shifts in Europe and the wider world. Elena holds an MA in History of Design from the Royal College of Art and Victoria & Albert Museum, and a BA in History from the University of Oxford. She has experience of interpretation and education in museums, and is passionate about the educative power (and, with that, responsibilities) of arts institutions and heritage sites.

She is working in collaboration with Historic Houses, under the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council’s Collaborative Doctoral Partnership scheme.

https://www.history.ox.ac.uk/people/elena-porter