Overview
Cagney Kelshaw is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Medieval Studies Program. Their research focuses on how the supernatural in medieval English and Norse literature can illuminate how the Other was constructed in these cultures. They are particularly interested in looking at medieval literature and culture through the lenses of disability and queer theory.
Research Focus
Cagney completed their B.A. in English at the University of Pennsylvania. Inspired by their previous work examining berserkir through the lens of disability, their Honors Thesis provided a cross-cultural examination of the evolving role of supernatural dwarfs in early to late medieval England and Scandinavia. Their research explored how the body of the Other was built at the intersection of disease, queerness, antisociality, and race. For this work, they were awarded the L. Barry Pick Prize for Best Undergraduate Thesis. In the future, Cagney hopes to continue researching supernatural Others to deconstruct biases that still exist today.