Joseph Sproule

Joseph Sproule earned his Ph.D. in History from the University of Toronto and specializes in the social and labour history of soldiering, military cultures, and the economics of war in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Northern Europe. His current research projects explore the history of emotions, chronicles of the Livonian War, siege literature, and the history of cryptozoology. In addition to the teaching of history, he has extensive experience in writing pedagogy.

Joseph’s work can be found in the journals Viator, Central European History, and the Journal of Military History. He has also recently co-authored a book of culinary biographies, Acquired Tastes: The Lives and Recipes of Eight Culinary Ambassadors (University of Toronto Press, 2026). 

Joseph teaches in the Academic Bridging Program and is the Acting Director of the Academic Writing Centre. He has also taught in the Department of History, New College’s International Foundation Program, Rotman’s Centre for Professional Skills, and the Trinity College Writing Centre. In all of his teaching, he is committed to fostering clarity, confidence, and critical thinking, helping students to build the skills they need for academic growth.

Education:

PhD, History, University of Toronto.

MA, History, University of Toronto.

MA, Prehistoric European Archaeology, Leiden University.

MSc, Human Palaeoecology, University College London.

BA (Honours), Archaeology, University of Toronto.