Welcome to TheBadMedievalist, written by a PhD student who has published work and is currently finishing a dissertation. Here, you will find articles and essays about the medieval period, reflections on the process of academic research and writing, and most importantly, my digital portfolio. Join me on my journey as I explore the complexities and nuances of the Middle Ages and share my passion for this fascinating period of history in new ways.

Sarah is a doctoral candidate in Literature, Criticism, and Textual Studies with a transhistorical focus on early medieval and Southern/Appalachian literature. She completed her MA in English at the University of Tennessee and her BA in English from the University of South Carolina- Aiken. Her dissertation, titled, “The Medievalish McCarthy: Medieval Afterlives in Appalachian Literature,” interrogates how Cormac McCarthy employs medieval references in his first five novels: The Orchard Keeper, Outer Dark, Child of God, Suttree, and Blood Meridian. She is also pursuing the Digital Humanities certificate and has several digital projects in process.

As a Graduate Teaching Associate, Sarah teaches first-year English composition and professional writing courses. In the past, she also taught a section of the First-Year Studies course for students in the pre-professional track and worked as a line editor on the anthology, Vikings, Knights, Elves, and Ogres: Essays in Honor of Shaun F.D. Hughes. Finally, Sarah is an embedded writing consultant at the UTK Veterans Success Center as part of an outreach program she spearheaded in 2021.  

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