Kathryn Edwards

Professor Kathryn Edwards holds the rank of Professor at the University of South Carolina’s Department of History, part of the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. She has been a tenured faculty member since 2002 and promoted to Full Professor in 2010. Her expertise spans Renaissance and Reformation European history, with a focus on religion, folklore, and frontier societies. Edwards has held prestigious fellowships at institutes like the Helsinki Collegium and Hanse Wissenschaftskolleg, and has received numerous teaching awards including the Mortarboard Excellence in Teaching Award (2008) and the Two Thumbs Up Award (2022).

Education: B.A. from Trinity College Dublin (1986), M.A. and Ph.D. from UC Berkeley (1988, 1993). Her research explores supernatural beliefs, magic, and witchcraft in early modern Europe. Current projects include Living with Ghosts: The Dead in European Society and The Brill Companion to Devils and Demons. She co-edits French Historical Studies, a leading journal in French history.

Research interests: Edwards studies the interplay between popular religion, folklore, and state authority. Her work analyzes how beliefs in ghosts, demons, and magical practices evolved alongside the Reformation and Enlightenment. Key themes include the social construction of the supernatural, gender roles in hauntings, and the transmission of folk traditions across borders.

Publications: Over 20 books and book chapters, including Everyday Magic in Early Modern Europe (2015) and Werewolves, Witches, and Wandering Spirits (2002). Articles address topics like ghost discernment, witchcraft interrelationships, and the magical continuum in early modern Europe. Recent work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to supernatural phenomena and their cultural impact.

Awards: Over 30 honors, including NEH grants, distinguished fellowships, and teaching accolades. Notable grants include a $50k fellowship from Hanse Wissenschaftskolleg (2017) and a $15k ASPIRE grant (2019).

Advising & Grants: Supervised 11 Ph.D. dissertations and numerous theses. Active in professional development, serving on committees for the Sixteenth Century Studies Society and Society for Reformation Research. Current roles include Faculty Senate member and director of Undergraduate Studies in History.

Labs/Teams: Leads collaborative projects like the Brill Companion to Devils and Demons with 20 international scholars. Co-edits French Historical Studies, fostering global scholarship in French history.