Jillian Bjerke

Jillian Bjerke is a Lecturer in the Department of History at McDaniel College, where she has been teaching since Fall 2020 and was formally appointed to her current role in Fall 2022. She is part of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, specializing in medieval history with a focus on Europe and the Mediterranean during the High Middle Ages.

Her research interests include administrative history, cultural history, gender history, and cultural exchange in the premodern world. She employs interdisciplinary methods, integrating art history, literature, religion, and music into her historical analysis. Her courses cover ancient and medieval history, with thematic offerings such as Witchcraft, Magic, and Medicine and Medieval Women, reflecting her commitment to making history engaging and relevant.

Her recent publications explore political and religious administration in 13th-century Europe, particularly in Champagne, Navarre, Castile, and England. These works demonstrate a trend toward comparative analysis of legal, religious, and feudal systems, often using underutilized archival sources to illuminate broader cultural dynamics. Her scholarship appears in respected journals such as the Haskins Society Journal and Journal of Medieval Iberian Studies, with several forthcoming contributions.

• Fulbright Fellowship (France), affiliated with Université Jean Moulin Lyon III

Bjerke is an active mentor and educator, passionate about guiding students to discover personal meaning in history. Though no formal advisees are listed, her teaching emphasizes student engagement and intellectual curiosity. She has not mentioned external grants, but her Fulbright Fellowship supports significant research. She is involved in scholarly communities related to medieval studies and interdisciplinary humanities.

She is affiliated with academic networks through her Fulbright research and publication venues, though no specific lab or research team is mentioned. Her work continues to expand the understanding of medieval governance and cultural identity across regional boundaries.