Thomas C. Devaney

Thomas C. Devaney is an Associate Professor of History and Associate Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Rochester. He holds a PhD from Brown University (2011) and has held academic positions at the University of Turku (Fulbright Scholar), University of Helsinki, Indiana University South Bend, and the University of Puget Sound. His research focuses on late medieval and early modern Europe, emphasizing urban spectacle, interfaith relations, and the history of emotions. He has authored Enemies in the Plaza (2015) and contributed to peer-reviewed journals such as Speculum and Medieval Encounters.

His current projects explore emotional experiences in early modern Spanish communities and the career of Miguel Lucas de Iranzo. He has received the Bernadotte E. Schmitt Research Grant (2017), Fulbright award, and a docent title in early modern history from the University of Turku. His teaching spans courses on frontiers, Mediterranean history, and microhistory.

Devaney’s research has been supported by grants from the NEH, Central New York Humanities Corridor, and Finnish institutions. He chairs the Department of History’s graduate program and has advised students in late medieval and early modern fields. His work bridges urban studies, religious history, and sensory perception to illuminate how ideas shaped lived experiences in composite societies.