Christian Raffensperger

Christian Raffensperger is a Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History at Wittenberg University. He also holds the Kenneth E. Wray Chair in the Humanities and serves as Director of the Ermarth Institute for Public Humanities.

His research focuses on integrating medieval Rus into broader European historical frameworks, emphasizing dynastic marriages, kinship networks, and cross-cultural exchanges. He explores how Rus interacted with Byzantium, Scandinavia, and Western Europe through political, religious, and economic ties.

Key publications include Reimagining Europe (2012), Ties of Kinship (2016), and Rulers and Rulership in the Arc of Medieval Europe (2023). He co-authored the textbook Medieval Europe, 250-1450 (2025) with Florin Curta.

• Ohio Academy of History Publication Award (2013)

Through digital humanities projects like the Rusian Genealogy Database and collaborations with institutions such as Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, he reshapes medieval historical narratives. He actively engages in public scholarship, writing opinion pieces and serving on local boards like the Clark County Public Library.