Visiting Scholar Appointment at the Brandeis University Women's Studies Research Center

I am pleased to announce that on September 1st I began my appointment as a Visiting Scholar at The Brandeis University Women’s Studies Research Center. My research project will investigate the mythic and very real women who were portrayed in Ancient Greek and Roman Art and consider modern and contemporary Amazons in pop culture, such as Wonder Woman.

I was turned onto the idea of the Amazons after reading Madeleine Miller's two novels about Greek Mythology: "Song of Achilles" and "Circe." My preliminary research led me to the MFA and the Metropolitan Museum in NYC collections both of whom have fantastic examples of the legendary warrior women on pottery, gold rings, crystal beads and more. Two of my primary sources are "Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women Across the Ancient World" by Adrienne Mayor and "Postcolonial Amazons: Female Masculinity and Courage in Ancient Greek and Sanskrit Literature" by Walter Duvall Penrose Jr. This has led to a fruitful correspondence and lively discussion with these two renowned scholars.

I saw the movie "Wonder Woman" when it came out in theaters but only recently discovered "Professor Marston and the Wonder Women." I am currently devouring Jill Lepore's book " The Secret History of Wonder Woman." Note, the Addison Gallery of American Art has an upcoming show on the subject of Wonder Woman and Superman in pop culture: "Men of Steel, Women of Wonder" that is not to be missed, October 5, 2019 - January 5, 2020.