Hi. Thanks for looking at my website.

The Monastery of Sant’Elisabetta, Florence. Photo Gillian Jack 2013

I’m a historian of late medieval and early modern Italy, with a focus on prostitution, nuns, and welfare. My doctoral thesis was on Sant’Elisabetta delle Convertite, a monastery for convertite (repentant prostitutes) in Florence.

My research focuses on poor women and girls of fifteenth and sixteenth century Florence. I am interested in how they negotiated their interactions with the city and how civic authorities attempted to restrict and facilitate their lives.

I currently work for The Open University. I am an Associate Lecturer on history and interdisciplinary modules. I am also an Honorary Associate in the History department.