Kirsten comes to the University of Chicago after completing her undergraduate studies in anthropology and history at DePaul University and receiving her MSc in Medieval Literatures and Cultures from the University of Edinburgh. Her work in medieval studies has spanned from the 10th-15th centuries, with specific emphasis on the twelfth-century renaissance. Kirsten has previously worked on animals, gender, and memory in French literature. She continues her work on memory and literature in conjunction with art history in her dissertation, which proposes installation art theory as a framework for understanding medieval commemorative monuments. Professionally, Kirsten’s interests lie in archival work, public engagement, and museum and library ethics. She is currently working on a social media-friendly database with Modern Philology and OCHRE (Online Cultural and Historical Research Environment) at UChicago.
Research interests: Medieval French and Anglo-Norman literature; art history; death and mortuary studies; installation art theory; metamorphosis and identity; gender studies; twelfth century renaissance; public history; museum education and programming; archives; curatorial ethics; book history.
Recent courses in RLL
- FREN 10100 Beginning Elementary French I (Autumn 2020)
- FREN 10200 Beginning Elementary French II (Winter 2021)
- FREN 23422 Mourning and Commemoration in Pre-Modern French Literature (Winter 2022)