Danica Summerlin

Dr Danica Summerlin is a Senior Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Sheffield's School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities. She specializes in medieval European history (c.1000-1300), focusing on the institutional church, canon law, and legal history. Her research explores how legal ideas spread and were applied in medieval contexts. She holds a Leverhulme Trust Fellowship and a British Academy Post-doctoral Fellowship.

Her monograph The Canons of the Third Lateran Council of 1179 (2019) and co-edited volume The Use of Canon Law in Ecclesiastical Administration (2019) investigate medieval legal transmission and institutional practices. Current projects include digital humanities work on the Clavis Canonum database and rethinking medieval legal jurisdiction frameworks.

Teaching includes modules on Thomas Becket's legacy and medieval Mediterranean religious-political dynamics. She supervises PhD students in medieval legal/religious history, notably Freddy Potts researching Baltic migration. Professional activities include radio appearances on Becket and roles as Exams Officer.