Wanxin Du
Email: Wanxin.Du@warwick.ac.uk
I am a current PhD candidate at the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance at the University of Warwick (supervisor: Dr Jonathan DaviesLink opens in a new window). I am interested in economic, social, political, and legal history in early modern Italy, especially in the history of the grand duchy of Tuscany in the 16th and 17th centuries.
My PhD project 'Violent Crimes and Criminal Justice in the State of Siena, 1590-1650', examines violent criminality and criminal justice in the state of Siena, known as the Stato Nuovo of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, between 1590 and 1650. Despite the autonomy granted by the Medici and its legal independence from Florence, the social and legal history of grand-ducal Siena has received significantly less scholarly attention compared to that of Florence. Set in the context of the seventeenth-century crisis in Italy, this project investigates changing rates and patterns of violent crimes, including homicide, assault, brawls, and sexual violence. Drawing on judicial records, statutes, and administrative correspondence, it explores the complex jurisdictional network that connected the grand duke, the governor, the captain of justice, and local magistrates in the daily administration of criminal justice. Through a case study of Siena, this research aims to provide new insights into current historical debates on levels of violence, the socio-economic roots of criminality, and the nature of state formation, challenging the traditional views of absolutism in early modern Tuscany.
Research Interests
- Renaissance and Early Modern Italy
- History of Florence, Siena, and Tuscany
- Violence, Crime, and Criminal Justice in Early Modern Europe
Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Renaissance Studies, University of Warwick, UK, 2022-present
- M.A. in World History, Fudan University, China, 2019-2022
- B.A. in World History, Tianjin Normal University, China, 2015-2019
Academic Visiting Experiences
- Visiting PhD student, Department of History and Civilisation, European University Institute, Jan -Mar 2025
- Eva Schler predoctoral fellow, Medici Archive Project, Jan -Apr 2024
Research and Language Trainings
- Winter Seminar in Palaeography and Archival Studies, Medici Archive Project, Jan 2024
- Specialised Italian Intermediate for Renaissance Research, Warburg Institute, Oct 2022-Mar 2023
- Italian Palaeography, University of Warwick, Oct.-Dec. 2022 & Jan -Mar 2024
Scholarships and Awards
- Humanities Research Centre PhD Research Fellowship, University of Warwick, 2024-2025
- Sophia Li Research Fund, Centre for the Study of the Renaissance, 2023-2024
- Eva Schler Fellowship, Medici Archive Project, 2023-2024
- China Scholarship Council-University of Warwick Scholarship, 2022-2026
- Outstanding Graduate of Fudan University, 2022
- Tung Scholarship, Fudan University, 2020-2021
Talks
- "The Legislation on Arms Control in Grand Ducal Tuscany, 1574-1685', CSR PhD Work in Progress Seminar Series, University of Warwick, 6 June 2024
- "Archival Research on Violent Crimes and Criminal Justice in Grand Ducal Siena, 1590-1650", Samuel H. Kress & Eva Schler 2024 Fellows Research Report, Medici Archive Project, 22 May 2024
Membership
-
History of Violence Network, University of Warwick
- Student member of Renaissance Society of America
- Student member of Economic History Society