Kirk Essary

Kirk Essary is an Associate Professor of Medieval and Early Modern History at the University of Western Australia, affiliated with both the History and Classics departments. He previously served as Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions (2018–2022) and held postdoctoral roles in the same center. His research focuses on religious and intellectual history in late medieval and early modern Europe, emphasizing Christian humanism, reception history, the Protestant Reformation, and the history of emotions, with a particular focus on Erasmus of Rotterdam.

Education:

• PhD in Religion, Florida State University (2014)
• MA in Religions of Western Antiquity, Florida State University (2010)
• MA in Classics, Texas Tech University (2008)
• BA in Philosophy, Oklahoma State University (2006)

Research Interests:

• Christian Humanism
• Reception of classical and biblical texts
• Emotional history
• Early modern intellectual networks
• John Calvin and Erasmus comparisons

Awards:

• 2024 Anne Scott Parergon Prize
• 2023 Mid-Career Research Award (School of Humanities)

Grants and Leadership: Former ARC Centre leadership roles highlight his contributions to collaborative research. His recent monograph (2024) explores Erasmus' role in emotional discourse during the Renaissance.

Labs/Teams: Active in the ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions, contributing to interdisciplinary projects on emotion studies.