Joshua C. Birk

Joshua C. Birk is an Associate Professor of History and Chair of the Classical Languages & Literatures department at Smith College. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a B.A. from Brown University. His research focuses on political and cultural history across religious boundaries in the medieval Mediterranean, particularly Norman Sicily and the First Crusade era. He directs the Humanities and Social Science Research Labs and teaches courses on medieval European history, race in medieval Europe, and religious violence in Islamo-Christian contexts.

Birk’s work examines how Sicilian Norman rulers co-opted Islamic administrative techniques and cultural elements, tracing the evolution of anti-Islamic sentiment in Latin Europe. His 2017 book Baptized Sultans analyzes Sicilian Muslim roles in governance, while recent articles explore linguistic domination in Sicilian courts and Ibn Jubayr’s travel narratives. He has been recognized with the Rome Prize (2012) and Smith College Teaching Award (2019).

• Education:
  • Ph.D., M.A., University of California, Santa Barbara
  • B.A., Brown University

His publications bridge political and cultural analysis, emphasizing cross-cultural interactions and contested narratives. Courses include sequential medieval history surveys, specialized colloquia on medieval race and magic, and a seminar on violence and memory in the high Middle Ages.