Joëlle Rollo-Koster

Joëlle Rollo-Koster is Professor of Medieval History at the University of Rhode Island, specializing in medieval social and cultural history. Her office is located in Washburn Hall, Room 313, and she can be contacted via phone (401.874.4089) or email. Born in Toulon, France, she earned her undergraduate and master's degrees from the University of Nice before completing her PhD at SUNY Binghamton under Richard C. Trexler, a pioneer of behaviorist history.

Rollo-Koster's research applies social scientific methodologies to medieval texts, focusing on long-term historical patterns, mentalities, demography, and economic conditions. Her primary research areas include:

• The social and demographic history of papal Avignon (1309-1378)
• Death rituals and funeral practices in medieval Europe
• Medieval women's history and testamentary practices
• The Great Western Schism (1378-1417) and its socio-political impacts
• Historical anthropology and formalized medieval behaviors

Her scholarly publications demonstrate consistent focus on power dynamics during ecclesiastical transitions, gender studies in medieval contexts, and the intersection of religious authority with urban development. Recent works explore themes of political legitimacy, violence during papal interregnums, and the representation of authority in medieval society.

Professor Rollo-Koster has received significant recognition for her scholarship:

• Chevalier des Palmes Académiques (2016)
• URI Research and Scholarship Excellence Award (2017)
• EURIAS Fellowship at the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (2017-2018)
• URI Foundation Scholarly Excellence Award (2018)
• Fellow, Medieval Academy of America (2024)

She has led international research teams compiling histories of the papacy and regularly contributes to public scholarship through platforms like The Conversation and TEDEd.