معرفی
Professor Helen J Swift is a Professor of Medieval French Literature at the University of Oxford's Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages, affiliated with St Hilda's College. Her research bridges late medieval and early modern periods, focusing on vernacular literature (1330–1550), text-image relationships, and the transition from manuscript to print cultures. She employs theoretical frameworks to contextualize medieval texts for modern audiences, with a gendered lens examining narratives of identity and subjectivity. Key works include Representing the Dead: Epitaph Fictions in Late Medieval France (2016), which earned her the R. Gapper Prize. Current projects explore guidance in medieval didactic narratives and modern academia. She collaborates on initiatives like the MARGOT project (University of Waterloo) and co-leads the La Chastelaine de Vergi project. She co-convened interdisciplinary programs such as the MSt in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and contributed to public engagement through events like the Oxford Lieder Festival and podcasts on death studies.
Her teaching spans French language, medieval literature, and interdisciplinary topics like codicology and literature-visual arts intersections. She supervises doctoral research on medieval narratives, Ovid's reception, and text-image dynamics in Christine de Pizan’s works. Her grants include a British Academy Small Grant for the 'Voices in Medieval French Narrative' project and a John Fell Fund award. She remains active in academic committees, including the TORCH Medieval Studies program and the Women in Humanities initiative.
