Tom van den Hurk

Tom van den Hurk is a SGSAH-funded PhD student at the University of Glasgow, researching the emotions surrounding free born men who engaged in receptive same-sex intercourse in ancient Rome and other mediterranean cultures. His doctoral research aims to shine light on the enduring historical legacy of shaming and stigmatising those within and outside of the LGBTQ+ community who engage(d) in receptive anal intercourse, also known as ‘bottom-shaming’.

Coming to academia later in life, Tom had a career as an award-winning filmmaker, working in fiction and documentary. His background inspires him to seek a more creative approach to research and public engagement, blending high-quality research with storytelling and making it accessible to contemporary audiences.

Drawing on his own experiences as a queer, working-class immigrant working in a discipline that is often perceived as elitist and conservative, Tom endeavours to bring the voices of underrepresented groups from antiquity to the fore and to make them relevant to contemporary discussions.