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About Matt Wells
Hi! I'm a Lecturer in Architectural Humanities at the University of Manchester, focusing on 19th‑ and 20th‑century architecture, visual culture, and institutional environments in Europe. More importantly I've been a NBN podcast listener since 2020, and a podcast listener for almost all of my adult life. I listen to arts and humanities, sports, and some more comic podcasts, as well as some that I don't really know how to quantify. With NBN I listen mostly to the Architecture and then various historical sub-disciplines. I follow these both for general enjoyment – to learn about new books and topics – as well as to broaden my reading around particular themes for my research.
I believe I’d be a strong fit for NBN because my research sits at the intersection of architecture, history, and visual culture – areas that align closely with the network’s thematic focus. As both an author and editor, I’m familiar with the intellectual and practical journey of bringing a book to life and enjoy drawing out those stories in conversation. My work has always been interdisciplinary, and I strive to make complex ideas accessible without sacrificing depth or detail – something I see as central to the New Books Network’s mission. I’ve written for public-facing platforms in the UK like The Conversation, and I value opportunities to translate scholarship for wider audiences. I’d look forward to highlighting exciting new work and helping authors bring their books to life for listeners.
NBN Episodes hosted by Matt:
March 6, 2026
Spaces of Immigration
Spaces of Immigration: American Ports, Railways, and Settlements (U Pittsburgh Press, 2025) follows the travel routes of immigrants during a foundatio…
January 28, 2026
Architecture, Empire, and Trade
Architecture, Empire, and Trade: The United Africa Company (Bloomsbury, 2025) pieces together a new architectural history of West Africa from the high…
January 7, 2026
Reconstruction
Reconstruction explores the impact of the First World War on the built environment - examining the immediate effects and aftermath of the Great War on…
November 26, 2025
Barbarian Architecture
An important critic of modern culture, American economist Thorstein Veblen is best known for the concept of “conspicuous consumption,” the ostentatiou…
October 30, 2025
The Barrack, 1572-1914
The Barrack, 1572–1914: Chapters in the History of Emergency Architecture (Park Books, 2024) tells the little-known history of a building type that ma…
October 5, 2025
The Architecture of the Wire
The Architecture of the Wire explores the development of telecommunications infrastructure and its impact on the architectural and urban culture of th…