Charity Urbanski

Charity Urbanski is a Teaching Professor and Hanauer Endowed Fellow in History at the University of Washington. She specializes in medieval European history, with a focus on 12th-century France and England. Her research explores political and cultural transformations, particularly how medieval attitudes shaped modern institutions. She holds a Ph.D. and dual B.A./M.A. in History and Art History from UC Berkeley.

• Education: Ph.D. History (UC Berkeley, 2007); M.A. Art History (UC Berkeley, 1999); B.A. History & Art History (UC Berkeley, 1996)

Her research interests include gender studies, historiography, and teratology, particularly how medieval Europeans conceptualized monstrosity to dehumanize marginalized groups. Recent work examines monstrous imagery in medieval texts and its societal implications. She teaches courses on medieval outlaws, monstrosity, supernatural phenomena, and political historiography.

Her scholarship bridges political history and cultural analysis, as seen in her books on Henry II’s historiography and medieval conceptions of monstrosity. She previously taught at UC Berkeley and UCLA before joining UW in 2008.