Daniel Woolf Last updated June 13, 2025 Early life and education Woolf was born in London,England,on 5 December 1958 to a Jewish family. [ 8] [ 18] His mother,Margaret Mary Woolf (1929–2014), [ 19] was an English instructor at a university , [ 7] and his father,Cyril Isaac Woolf (1930–2012),was an otolaryngologist ,a Royal College of Surgeons of England Fellow [ 18] and an adjunct faculty member at a medical school . [ 7] His uncle was the historian Stuart Woolf (1936–2021), [ 20] [ 21] and his brother is the Vancouver -based architect Jeremy Woolf. [ 8] [ 22] [ 23]
In 1961,his family emigrated to Winnipeg ,Canada , [ 18] where Woolf graduated from St. Paul's High School in 1976. [ 17] He obtained his BA in History from Queen's University in Kingston,Ontario in 1980,and then a DPhil in Modern History from St Peter's College , [ 24] University of Oxford ,in 1983. [ 25] He was supervised by Gerald E. Aylmer ,a distinguished historian of 17th-century England and then-Master of St Peter's. Along with historians John Morrill and Paul Slack ,Woolf would eventually co-edit a 1993 festschrift honouring Aylmer. [ 26] Among Woolf's contemporaries at St Peter's was David Eastwood ,Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham since 2009. [ 24]
Career Woolf returned to Canada in 1984 and taught at Queen's University as a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council postdoctoral fellow in history until 1986,when he moved to Quebec and became an assistant professor of history at Bishop's University . After a 1-year appointment he joined the Department of History at Dalhousie University ,Nova Scotia ,as an assistant professor. [ 25] Woolf was tenured in 1990,when he was also promoted to associate professor ;4 years later,he became a full professor . [ 7] [ 25]
In 1999,McMaster University appointed Woolf as the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities ,serving as a professor of history in parallel. [ 25] He relocated to University of Alberta in 2002,starting a 5-year term as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts,a position to which he was re-appointed in 2007, [ 7] as well as a professor in the Department of History and Classics . [ 25] In 2009,he was appointed by Queen's University as its 20th Principal and Vice-Chancellor. [ 27] He took up the role on 1 September that year, [ 7] serving until June 2019. [ 3]
Academically,Woolf's research interests are in Tudor and Stuart British history and the global history of historiography . [ 9] [ 28] He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada ,Society of Antiquaries of London ,and the Royal Historical Society . [ 1] Between 1996 and 1997 he was a member of the School of Historical Studies under the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton,New Jersey . [ 29]
Since 2012,Woolf has been on the board of directors of Historica Canada (formerly the Historica-Dominion Institute). [ 25] [ 30] Having completed one term on the board of directors of the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario ,he is currently serving his second term (2021–2023). [ 31] He is a member of the board of directors of Lakefield College School since 2020. [ 32] He is also a member of the International Commission for the History and Theory of Historiography (ICHTH),currently serving as its Secretary-General (2022–2026). [ 33]
Previously,he was the chair of the executive committee of the Council of Ontario Universities (2017–2019), [ 25] [ 34] a member of the board of directors of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (2016–2017),a member of the Executive Committee and Council of the Royal Society of Canada (2012–2016), [ 25] and chair of the Standing Advisory Committee on International Relation of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (renamed to Universities Canada in 2015) [ 35] [ 36] (2011–2014). [ 25] [ 37]
Personal life Woolf is married to Julie Anne Gordon-Woolf, [ 9] a health administrator and part-time professional harpist . [ 38] He has three children from a previous marriage to political scientist Jane Arscott,Sarah,Samuel and David. [ 8] [ 39] [ 40]
During his tenure as principal,Woolf was famous for handing out cookies with his wife at Queen's University 's libraries during exam season. [ 9] He started this "cookie drop" in 2010. [ 41]
Honours and awards In 2023,to honour Woolf's decade of service as Principal and Vice-Chancellor,Queen's University established the Principal Emeritus Daniel R. Woolf Professorship in the Humanities; [ 46] and renamed the first floor of Stauffer Library as the Daniel R. Woolf Gallery. [ 47]
In 2024,a Festschrift ,titled Reckoning with History ,was published in Woolf's honour,in which 11 contributors engaged with his writings and ideas. [ 48]
Bibliography Books
The Idea of History in Early Stuart England ,University of Toronto Press (1990) [ 49] (co-ed.,with John Morrill and Paul Slack ) Public Duty and Private Conscience in Seventeenth-Century England ,Oxford University Press (1993) [ 50] (co-ed.,with Thomas Mayer) Rhetorics of Life-Writing in Early Modern Europe ,University of Michigan Press (1995) [ 51] (ed.) A Global Encyclopedia of Historical Writing ,Routledge (1998) [ 52] Reading History in Early Modern England ,Cambridge University Press (2000) [ 53] (co-ed.,with Adam Fox) The Spoken Word:Oral Culture in Britain 1500–1850 ,Manchester University Press (2002) [ 54] The Social Circulation of the Past ,Oxford University Press (2003) [ 55] (co-ed.,with Norman L. Jones) Local Identities in Late Medieval and Early Modern England ,Palgrave Macmillan (2007) [ 56] A Global History of History ,Cambridge University Press (2011) [ 57] (general editor) The Oxford History of Historical Writing ,5 volumes,Oxford University Press (2011–2012) [ 58] A Concise History of History ,Cambridge University Press (2019) [ 59] Selected articles and chapters
"A feminine past? Gender,genre,and historical knowledge in England,1500–1800",The American Historical Review ,102.3 (2005),645-79 [ 60] References 1 2 "Prof Daniel Woolf" . Society of Antiquaries of London . Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021 . ↑ Macdonald, Kerri (2 April 2009). "Woolf in Queen's clothing once more" . The Queen's Journal . Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021 . 1 2 Praamsma, Wanda. "A decade at the helm" . Queen's Alumni Review . Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021 . ↑ Hutchins, Bill (21 May 2019). "Daniel Woolf reflects on highs and lows of decade as Queen's University principal" . Global News . Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021 . ↑ "Williams, Thomas R." Queen's University . Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021 . ↑ Mazur, Alexandra (5 November 2018). "Patrick Deane named 21st principal of Queen's University" . Global News. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021 . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Woolf, Daniel R." Queen's University. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021 . 1 2 3 4 5 "Daniel Woolf CV" . Archived from the original on 23 April 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2009 . 1 2 3 4 Wilson-Smith, Meredith (4 April 2019). "After a decade, Principal Woolf prepares to depart" . The Queen's Journal. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021 . ↑ Church, Elizabeth (28 January 2009). "Woolf named Queen's new principal" . The Globe and Mail . Archived from the original on 30 May 2021. ↑ "Queen's Principal Daniel Woolf reappointed for a second term" . Queen's Gazette. 18 March 2013. Archived from the original on 30 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021 . ↑ Alphonso, Caroline (20 March 2013). "Daniel Woolf to head Queen's for second term" . The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 30 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021 . ↑ Sherriff-Scott, Iain (28 November 2017). "Principal Woolf no longer seeking third term" . The Queen's Journal. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021 . ↑ "Principal Daniel Woolf to seek reappointment" . Queen's Gazette. 13 September 2017. Archived from the original on 30 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021 . ↑ "Queen's principal announces he will not seek third term" . The Kingston Whig-Standard . 28 November 2017. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2021 . ↑ "Queen's announces appointment of 21st Principal and Vice-Chancellor" . Queen's Gazette. 4 November 2018. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2018 . 1 2 "Daniel Woolf" . LinkedIn . Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021 . 1 2 3 "Woolf, Cyril Isaac (1930–2012)" . Plarr's Lives of the Fellows, Royal College of Surgeons of England . Archived from the original on 31 May 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021 . ↑ "Margaret Mary WOOLF" . The Globe and Mail. 14 June 2014. Archived from the original on 31 May 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021 . ↑ Woolf, Daniel [@woolf_atthedoor] (29 January 2017). "Buried in a bookcase-this 1951 world history given to me 50 yrs ago this month by my historian uncle Stuart Woolf" (Tweet ). Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021 – via Twitter . ↑ "Remembering Stuart Woolf" . European University Institute . 19 May 2021. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021 . ↑ Woolf, Daniel [@woolf_atthedoor] (24 February 2018). "If in Vancouver b/t April 18–30, catch my brother Jeremy's powerful and moving exhibit of Holocaust related photography. I visited the site below last summer with @Justforpun. My photos aren't nearly as good" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021 – via Twitter. ↑ "Jeremy Woolf" . Capture Photography Festival. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021 . 1 2 "Notable Alumni" . St Peter's College, Oxford . Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2021 . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "D.R. Woolf Curriculum Vitae" (PDF) . Queen's University. 9 February 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2021 . ↑ Hutton, Ronald (October 1993). "Book Reviews" . The English Historical Review . CVIII (CCCCXXIX): 983– 984. doi :10.1093/ehr/CVIII.CCCCXXIX.983 . Archived from the original on 1 June 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2021 . ↑ Miles, Lauren (29 January 2009). "Queen's appoints new principal" . The Queen's Journal. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021 . 1 2 "Daniel Woolf" . Queen's University. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021 . ↑ "Daniel Woolf" . Institute for Advanced Study . Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021 . ↑ "Daniel R. Woolf, FRSC" . Historica Canada . Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021 . ↑ "Daniel Woolf" . Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario . Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021 . ↑ "LCS Board of Directors" . Lakefield College School . Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2021 . ↑ "International Commission for the History and Theory of Historiography: Board" . www.ichth.net . Retrieved 9 November 2023 . ↑ "Executive Committee 2017-18" . Council of Ontario Universities . Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2019 . ↑ "New name, new look" (Press release). Universities Canada . 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021 . ↑ "Our history" . Universities Canada. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2015 . ↑ "AUCC strengthens relationship with Israeli universities" . Queen's Gazette. 9 July 2013. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021 . ↑ Woolf, Daniel (2011). "Acknowledgments". A Global History of History (PDF) . Cambridge University Press . pp. xxv– xxvii. ISBN 9780521875752 the original (PDF) on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021 . ↑ Cuthbertson, Ken. "Editor's notebook: "With a little help from friends" . Queen's Alumni Review . Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021 . ↑ "Jane Arscott, Ph.D." Athabasca University . Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2021 . ↑ "A delicious special delivery" . Queen's Gazette. 9 April 2018. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021 . ↑ "Fellows – W" (PDF) . Royal Historical Society . Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021 . ↑ "NACBS Awards (2004)" . North American Conference on British Studies. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021 . ↑ "Prof Daniel Woolf" . Society of Antiquaries of London . Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021 . ↑ "Dr. Daniel Woolf" . Royal Society of Canada . Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021 . ↑ "Former principal honoured with professorship" . Queen's Gazette . 26 January 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023 . ↑ Soroka, Skylar (14 February 2023). "Stauffer Library first floor named in honour of Daniel Woolf" . The Queen's Journal . Retrieved 31 March 2023 . ↑ Kesselring, K. J.; Neufeld, Matthew (eds.). Reckoning with History: essays on uses of the past . Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN 9780228022428 ↑ Woolf, Daniel (1990). The Idea of History in Early Stuart England: Erudition, Ideology and the "Light of Truth" from the Accession of James I to the Civil War Toronto : University of Toronto Press . ISBN 9780802058621 the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 . ↑ Morrill, John ; Slack, Paul ; Woolf, Daniel, eds. (1993). Public Duty and Private Conscience in Seventeenth-Century England: Essays Presented to G. E. Aylmer Oxford : Oxford University Press . doi :10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198202295.001.0001 . ISBN 9780191675270 the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 . ↑ Mayer, Thomas; Woolf, Daniel, eds. (1995). Rhetorics of Life-Writing in Early Modern Europe: Forms of Biography from Cassandra Fedele to Louis XIV Ann Arbor, Michigan : University of Michigan Press . doi :10.3998/mpub.14810 . ISBN 9780472105915 the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 . ↑ Woolf, Daniel, ed. (1998). A Global Encyclopedia of Historical Writing Abingdon-on-Thames : Routledge . ISBN 9780815315148 the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 . ↑ Woolf, Daniel (2001). Reading History in Early Modern England Cambridge : Cambridge University Press . ISBN 9780521780469 the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 . ↑ Fox, Adam; Woolf, Daniel, eds. (2002). The spoken word: Oral culture in Britain 1500-1850 Manchester : Manchester University Press . ISBN 9780719057472 the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 . ↑ Woolf, Daniel (2003). The Social Circulation of the Past: English Historical Culture 1500-1730 ISBN 9780199257782 the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 . ↑ Jones, Norman L.; Woolf, Daniel, eds. (2007). Local Identities in Late Medieval and Early Modern England London : Palgrave Macmillan . doi :10.1057/9780230597525 . ISBN 9781349279623 the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 . ↑ Woolf, Daniel (2011). A Global History of History Cambridge University Press . ISBN 9780521875752 the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 . ↑ "Oxford History of Historical Writing" . Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 . ↑ Daniel, Woolf (2019). A Concise History of History: Global Historiography from Antiquity to the Present doi :10.1017/9781108550789 . ISBN 9781108444859 S2CID 166601317 . Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021 . ↑ Woolf, Daniel, (2005) A feminine past? Gender, genre, and historical knowledge in England, 1500–1800 ", The American Historical Review , 102.3, 645-79
Chancellors Principals * indicates acting
International National Academics Other
This page is based on this
Wikipedia article Text is available under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
