Johanna Kramer

Johanna Kramer is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Missouri, affiliated with the College of Arts and Science. She specializes in medieval literature, particularly Old English religious texts, hagiography, and proverb studies. Her research explores intersections between patristic theology, folklore, and literary cultures. She is a key contributor to the Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MARS) program at MU and leads the Sources of Old English and Anglo-Latin Literary Culture (SOEALLC) project.

Educational Background: PhD in Medieval Studies (Cornell University, 2006); MA in Medieval Studies (Cornell, 2002); MA and BA in English (Oregon State University, 1998 and 1995). Additional studies at the University of Munich and the University of East Anglia.

Research Interests: Old English religious literature (saints' lives, homilies), medieval theology, folklore, and the role of proverbs in shaping intellectual history. Current projects include analyzing proverbs in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and editing Old English saints’ lives.

Recent Awards: 2025 NEH Summer Stipend, 2024 Bentzinger Fellowship, and multiple grants for research and travel. Her 2014 monograph Between Earth and Heaven won the 2016 Best First Book Prize from the Southeastern Medieval Association.

Grants and Collaborations: Active in collaborative editorial projects like the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library and interdisciplinary initiatives such as the Vetusta Monumenta digital edition. Supported by grants from the Research Council, SEC, and Mellon Foundation.

Labs/Teams: Co-leads the SOEALLC project documenting medieval British literary sources. Engaged with MU’s MARS program, offering undergraduate and graduate minors in Medieval Studies.