Mariah Cooper

Mariah Cooper is a Research Fellow at Acadia University's Department of History, specializing in medieval gender studies and legal history. She teaches courses on medieval law, history of medicine, and Latin. Her research focuses on sexual violence and consent in 12th-14th century England, using legal documents and literature to explore marginalized voices. She holds a PhD from Memorial University of Newfoundland and was awarded a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship for her work on rape myths in medieval law.

Education:

• Bachelor of Arts (History & Geography), Trent University
• Specialized Diploma in History, University of Kent
• Bachelor of Education, Queen’s University
• MA and PhD (Medieval History), Memorial University of Newfoundland

Research Interests: Her work critiques historical and modern narratives of sexual violence, examining how medieval legal systems perpetuated victim-blaming. She also explores medieval concepts of race, monstrosity, and social control through crime history and popular culture. Recent projects include analyzing Disney’s medieval representations and medieval notions of 'othering.'

Pedagogy: She emphasizes historical relevance to contemporary issues, fostering critical thinking through source analysis and discussion-based learning. Her teaching philosophy prioritizes empowering students to contextualize history and ask 'why does this matter?'

Awards:

• Arc Humanities Press New Voices - Open Access Award (2024)

Public Engagement: Her doctoral research was featured in CBC Radio's Ideas from the Trenches and Nova Scotia House of Assembly Proceedings. She contributes to public medievalism through The Public Medievalist and The Sundial.