Ruth Karras

Professor Ruth Karras holds the Lecky Professorship of History at Trinity College Dublin, where she specializes in medieval women, gender, and sexuality. Her research explores topics such as medieval masculinities, the cultural reinterpretation of figures like King David, and legal and social frameworks governing sexuality. Previously, she taught at the University of Minnesota (where she was named Distinguished Teaching Professor), Temple University, and the University of Pennsylvania. She currently teaches modules on medieval religion, Jewish-Christian relations, and medieval marriage, as well as contributes to source analysis courses.

Research Interests: Karras’s work bridges social and cultural history, focusing on how gender, sexuality, and legal systems shaped medieval societies. She analyzes diverse sources—from court records and Icelandic sagas to hagiographies—to study themes like masculinity, prostitution, and marriage. Her current project examines King David as a symbol of masculinity in medieval Jewish and Christian cultures.

Awards:

• Distinguished Teaching Professor, University of Minnesota (2018)

Advising & Teaching: She mentors graduate students researching medieval Europe’s cultural and social history, particularly in gender and sexuality studies. Her teaching emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to medieval source materials.

Publications: Karras has authored influential books, including *Sexuality in Medieval Europe* and *Unmarriages*, and contributed to edited volumes like *The Oxford Handbook of Women and Gender in Medieval Europe*. Her articles address topics from royal masculinity to medieval legal regulation of sexuality.