Jacqueline Borsje

Jacqueline Borsje is a researcher in the Department of Religious Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Amsterdam. Her work focuses on early medieval Irish religious practices, particularly examining the intersection of language, healing, and protection rituals.

Her research interests center on Religious Language Strategies, Medieval Irish Religion, Healing Practices, Amulets and Protective Rituals, Spellcraft, and Religious Language Strategies. Borsje's work explores how performative language was used in early medieval Ireland for healing and protection, analyzing how ailments were addressed through ritual language combined with material elements like water, saliva, butter, and plants.

Borsje's publications demonstrate a consistent research trajectory examining religious language strategies across multiple centuries. Her work shows particular interest in the ritual use of language for healing purposes, with publications ranging from specific spell analysis to broader theoretical frameworks connecting medieval practices to contemporary understandings of religious performance. Her upcoming monograph promises to provide a comprehensive examination of miraculous magic in medieval Ireland.

While no specific scientific awards are mentioned in the available materials, her research has been supported by funding bodies such as NWO (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek), as indicated by her project reference 276-30-004-0.

Borsje appears to work within interdisciplinary research networks connecting religious studies, medieval history, linguistics, and cultural anthropology. Her work references collaborations with scholars across these fields and engages with international research communities focused on early medieval religious practices.