James Nelson Novoa

James Nelson Novoa is an Associate Professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Arts. His research focuses on the cultural, social, and religious history of early modern Europe, particularly Portuguese New Christian communities, the Inquisition, and Mediterranean trade networks. He holds affiliations with institutions such as the Universidade de Lisboa (Centro de História), Carleton University’s Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies, and multiple European research centers.

Education: Ph.D. in Hispanic Literature (Universidad de Valencia, 2003), Licenciatura in Philosophy (Universidad de Valencia, 1997), and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy (Collège dominicain de philosophie et de théologie, 1993).

Research Interests: Early modern history, diaspora studies, cultural memory, digital humanities, and the intersection of religion and identity. His work examines Portuguese New Christians’ navigation of religious persecution, their economic roles in Mediterranean trade, and their cultural contributions to Roman and Tuscan society.

Publications highlight themes of transnational networks, material culture, and the legacy of the Inquisition. His scholarship bridges historical analysis with cultural studies, emphasizing marginalized communities’ agency and memory-making processes.