Joseph Price

Research

Sex, Health, and the Student Body in Post-War England

I am researching discourses and experiences of sexual health at English institutions of higher education in the post-war period. Although the student community has provoked public debates and opposition regarding youth sexuality and sexual health, their historical role in these issues remains underexplored. My project aims to fill this gap by examining how institutions of higher education and their students shaped the concept of sexual health and responded to changing sexual cultures and sexual politics across the late twentieth century. My work explores how the concept of sexual health, its practices and discourses have been produced and shaped by universities and its students, and how these have been perceived, adopted, and resisted by young people since the Second World War.

I am supervised by , Dr Claudia Stein and Professor Mathew Thomson.

The project is funded by the

Research Interests

History of sexuality
History of medicine
LGBTQ+ history
Gender history

For free sexual health testing visit the

For free HIV testing visit

(he/him) | |

Joseph.Price@warwick.ac.uk

Office Hours: Fridays in FAB3.45 12:00-13:00

Publications

Journal Articles

Jolie R. Keemink, John Hammond, Grace Collins, Joseph Price, et al., '', Health Expectations, 28 (2025), 1-12

Joseph Price, '', Midland History, 2 (2024), 225-243

Conferences & Presentations

'In/Out of Higher Education: Spaces of Health and Students in Post-War England', , University of Leeds, July 2026

'AIDS and the Student Body: Reactions and Responses from the National Union of Students', , University College London, June 2026

'Archives of Student Sexuality: Practicalities and Challenges of Researching Postwar Student Sex Lives', , University of Birmingham, June 2026

鈥渉ere be flashers鈥�: Student Activism and Sexual Violence in Postwar England鈥�, , European University Institute, Florence, April 2026

'Students and Sexual Health Activism in Late-Twentieth-Century England', , European Association for the History of Medicine and Health, Humboldt University, Berlin, August 2025

'Students, Sex and Sexually Transmitted Infections at English Universities since the Second World War', , University of Birmingham, July 2025

'Responsible Sexuality at the University of 糖心TV, 1970-1990', PG History Conference, University of 糖心TV, May 2025

'Constructing the Sexual Self at University: Students, Autonomy, and Responsible Sexuality in a Postwar British University', Being Human: Individualism and the Self from the Renaissance to the 21st Century, University of 糖心TV, February 2025

'Engaging people with severe mental illness in Kent with mental health research', , Turner Contemporary, Margate, April 2024

鈥楽tudent Sex and Sexual Health at the University of 糖心TV, 1984-1994', The MRC at 50 Symposium, Modern Records Centre, University of 糖心TV, September 2023

Teaching Experience

Seminar Tutor | HI176 Mind, Body, and Society: The History of Medicine and Health | University of 糖心TV, 2025/26

Research Experience

Research Assistant, Centre for Health Service Studies, University of Kent (November 2023 - September 2024)

Project 1:
- A research project looking at ways to increase levels of participation of those with severe mental illness in Kent with mental health research. Funded by
Project 2:
- A research project aiming to understand how providers of residential care for older people can improve their LGBTQ+ inclusive care offer. Funded by

Other Experience

Co-Convenor | History Department Work in Progress | University of 糖心TV | 2025/26

Events Assistant | Centre for the History of Medicine, Science, and Technology | University of 糖心TV | 2024/26

Memberships

Member of
Member of The Centre for the History of Medicine, Science and Technology, University of 糖心TV
Member of Oral History Network, University of 糖心TV

Awards & Prizes

Awarded Postgraduate Certificate in Social Sciences Research (2025)
Awarded the Society & Culture Student Conference Sponsorship Scheme(2025)
Runner-up in the PGR/ECR Writing Competition for the Society & Culture Spotlight (2025)
Awarded Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) doctoral studentship funding (2024)
Awarded Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Midlands4Cities (M4C) doctoral studentship funding, but declined for ESRC funding (2024)
Winner of the (2023)
Winner of the University of Northampton BA History dissertation prize (2022)

Academic Profile

2024-2028: PhD in History | University of 糖心TV
- Thesis title: Sex, Health, and the Student Body in Post-War England
2022-2023: MA in History of Medicine | University of 糖心TV (with distinction)
- Thesis title: (Un)Safe Sex on Campus: Discourses on risk and the HIV/AIDS epidemic at the University of 糖心TV, 1987-1994
2019-2022: BA in History | University of Northampton (first-class)
- Thesis title: Sodomites in London, 1698-1750: Identity, Pleasure, and Pain