معرفی
Samantha Kelly is a Distinguished Professor of History and current Chair of the Department of History at Rutgers University. Specializing in Medieval and Renaissance Europe and Africa, with a focus on Italy and Ethiopia, her work bridges European and African histories through the lens of religious and political interactions.
- Ph.D., Northwestern University (1998)
- B.A., Yale University (1989)
Her research explores the intersection of religion and politics in Italy, Latin-European interactions with the Ethiopian Orthodox community, and the intellectual projects of Ethiopian pilgrims in Renaissance Rome. She has pioneered studies on Ethiopian diasporic communities and cultural exchanges in the pre-modern Mediterranean.
Kelly’s publications include monographs on Robert of Naples and the Ethiopian Orthodox pilgrim hostel Santo Stefano, alongside edited volumes like A Companion to Medieval Ethiopia and Eritrea. Her work has been supported by prestigious institutions such as the Mellon Foundation, American Academy in Rome, and Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton.
- Marraro Prize (2003)
- Choice Outstanding Academic Title (2020)
- African Studies Review Prize (2020)
- American Association for Italian Studies Book Prize (2024)
Kelly has directed Rutgers’ Program in Medieval Studies, co-organized the Ethiopian Studies webinar series at the Institute for Advanced Study, and served as Visiting Professor at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris. She was elected a Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America in 2024 and continues to lead the Ethiopian Studies of North America workshop.
