Jessica O'Leary

Jessica O'Leary is a Senior Lecturer in History at Monash University, specializing in gender and cultural history of the early modern period with a focus on global connections. Her research explores women and children in the Portuguese Empire, particularly in Brazil and Japan, alongside topics like emotions, material culture, and diplomatic history.

She leads or collaborates on projects such as 'Child Slaveries in the Early Modern World,' 'Women in the Global Portuguese Empire (1500-1800),' and 'Gender and Emotion in Japanese Christianity.' These projects emphasize transnational perspectives and marginalized voices.

• Research interests include global history, cultural encounters, material culture, and early modern diplomacy.
• Recent articles analyze topics like indigenous horticulture in colonial Brazil, Japanese women’s religious conversions, and elite women’s diplomatic roles in early modern Europe.

Dr. O'Leary has received prestigious awards including the Harold S. Williams Fellowship and the Mary Bennett Prize. She actively supervises PhD students focusing on gender, cultural exchange, and diplomatic history.

Her work bridges historical methodologies with interdisciplinary approaches, often incorporating archival research from multiple regions and languages.