Jenkins studied medieval and modern history as well as political theory at The University of Nottingham.
Like Hayden White and "postmodern" historiographers, Jenkins believes that any historian's output should be seen as a story.
[citation needed] A work of history is as much about the historian's own world view and ideological positions as it is about past events.
Therefore, history ought to end, and Jenkins desires "the era or the raising of consciousness of the aporia... of the undeniability of the decision and incredulity towards metanarrative".
With Alun Munslow he co-authored The Nature of History Reader (2004), in which key pieces of writing by leading historians are reproduced and evaluated, with an explanation and critique of their character and assumptions.