Elena Rossi

Research Topic

A Rose Among the Thorns: An Investigation into the Relationship Between Women and Scholasticism from 1100 to 1500.

My research considers how women encountered worlds of learning in the university towns of Oxford, Paris and Bologna. Research on medieval universities has tended to focus purely on the experience of scholars. When women appear in university history, they are merely the objects of university men, whether in their textbooks and disputations, or in cases of abuse. By moving beyond the objectification of women, I consider how and why sex workers, townswomen, religious women and learned women interacted with scholars, examining their various motives and experiences. 

Supervisor: Dr Hannah Skoda

Scholarships and Awards

Oxford-Leon E and Iris L Beghian Graduate Scholarship (2020-2023)

Dinah and Jessica Nichols Scholarship (2018-2019)

Jonathan Riley-Smith Prize (2018)

Academic Affiliations

Social Media and Website Secretary, London Medieval Society (2018-)

Outreach Work

Researcher in Residence, Oxford History Faculty and St. Gregory the Great Catholic School (2021-)

Student Lead, Medieval Student Experience, Queen Mary, University of London (2018-)

Intern, Citizens Project, Royal Holloway, University of London (2018-2020)