Our Group
The Premodern Body Project is run by a collective of four scholars—Francesca, Autumn, Natalie and James—dedicated to exploring the rich and diverse narratives of the pre-modern body. United by our specialisms in Old Norse literature, Early Modern childbirth, and Pre-Modern European religion, we formed this group to create a research hub for academics worldwide. In an era where the academic humanities face significant challenges, we embrace a bold, self-driven ethos. We believe in hosting events, and fostering meaningful scholarly conversations. Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or a curious student, we welcome you to join us in uncovering the vibrant histories and enduring questions surrounding bodies and being in the pre-modern period.
James White
James is an assistant lecturer in the Faculty of Arts, specialising in Pre-Modern European religion. His research focuses on gender and the body in late medieval religion (c.1200–c.1500), particularly the experiences of women from the Low Countries and Italy, as well as Jewish-Christian relations surrounding the body. He completed his PhD at the University of Alberta in 2022 on the late medieval devotion to the Holy Foreskin where he held leadership roles in academic societies and gained extensive teaching experience in pre-modern and world history.
He has won five Faculty-level teaching awards from the University.
Autumn Reinhardt-Simpson
Autumn is a PhD candidate at the University of Alberta, specialising in Early Modern ritual reform in England. Autumn’s dissertation argues that women’s bodies were a vital battleground for liturgical reform during the English Reformations, specifically the reform of the churching rite, which was deployed to communicate the sometimes conflicting interests of church, state, and laity. Proficient in German, French, and Latin, her research encompasses medieval England and Early Modern religious conversion, recusancy, and church papistry. Autumn is also a contributing author to A Cultural History of Childbirth in the Early Modern Age (Bloomsbury , 2026) and The Dictionary of Virginia Biography (Library of Virginia, 2010).
Francesca Squitieri
Francesca is a PhD candidate at the University of Nottingham, specialising in the fornaldarsögur. Her research delves into the rich narrative traditions of medieval Scandinavia, exploring themes such as fate, hybridity, and identity within legendary and heroic literature. A passionate advocate for medieval studies, Francesca has presented her work at international conferences, showcasing innovative research into ecological studies and cultural identity.
Francesca is also committed to engaging broader audiences with medieval studies. She is an experienced educator, working as an English and history teacher in secondary education.
Natalie Van Deusen
Natalie M. Van Deusen is a Professor and Henry Cabot and Linnea Lodge Scandinavian Professor at the University of Alberta, where she teaches a variety of courses on Scandinavian language, literature, and culture. Her research interests include Old Norse and Early Modern Icelandic paleography and philology, manuscript culture, hagiography and religious literature, and gender studies. She is co-author with Kirsten Wolf of The Saints in Old Norse and Early Modern Icelandic Poetry (2017), and has published a number of articles and book chapters, primarily on the lives of saints in medieval and early modern Icelandic poetry and prose.
Bodies and Being 