Elizabeth I. Casteen

Elizabeth I. Casteen is an Associate Professor of History at Binghamton University, specializing in medieval and Renaissance studies. She serves as Director of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (CEMERS) and teaches graduate seminars on gender, spirituality, and medieval historiography. Her research explores intersections of gender, sexuality, and power in the high and late Middle Ages.

• PhD, Northwestern University
• MA, Northwestern University
• BA, Dartmouth College

Casteen's work interrogates contested medieval concepts like raptus—a term encompassing rape, abduction, and mystical ecstasy—through case studies involving enslaved Muslim women, forced marriages, and saintly narratives. She also examines the Crusades' legacy of slavery along Mediterranean coasts.

Her 2015 monograph, From She-Wolf to Martyr, reevaluates Johanna I of Naples' contested reputation to analyze shifting medieval constructions of queenship and sovereignty. This work reflects interdisciplinary engagement with historical, literary, and legal frameworks.

Undergraduate courses taught include Western Civilization surveys, Crusades studies, and specialized topics in medieval gender history. She maintains active academic affiliations with Binghamton University's History Department and CEMERS.