Rebecca Lemon

Rebecca Lemon is a Professor of English, Comparative Literature, and History at the University of Southern California. She holds a Ph.D. in Renaissance Literature and Culture from the University of Wisconsin, Madison (2000), an M.A. from Cambridge University, and a B.A. from Smith College. Her research focuses on Renaissance literature, law, political philosophy, early modern addictions, and gender studies. She has authored three major books, including Addiction and Devotion in Early Modern England (2018) and Treason by Words (2006), and co-edited The Blackwell Companion to the Bible in English Literature (2009). Her work bridges literary analysis with historical and legal contexts, particularly examining themes of treason, addiction, and political power in early modern texts.

Rebecca has received prestigious awards such as the Roma Gill Prize (2015) and the PCCBS Biennial Article Prize (2013). She has held fellowships at institutions like the Stanford Humanities Center and the Huntington Library. Her teaching includes courses on Renaissance literature, law and literature, and Shakespearean drama. She currently serves as Divisional Dean for the Humanities at USC and has led initiatives in graduate placement and strategic planning.

Her research explores intersections between literature and law, with notable publications analyzing Shakespeare’s plays and early modern conceptions of addiction. She actively participates in academic service, including roles on editorial boards for Renaissance literature journals and committees for early modern studies.