The Medieval Academy of America has appointed Katherine L. Jansen, Ordinary Professor of History at The Catholic University of America, as the new Editor of Speculum, the premier North-America-based academic journal for medieval studies.  Professor Jansen’s editorship will begin as of 31 July 2019, and the journal’s editorial office will move to Catholic University’s campus during her term as Editor.

Speculum is published by the Medieval Academy of America and has been housed in its Cambridge, MA offices since 1926.  Until very recently, the position of Editor of Speculum and that of Executive Director of The Medieval Academy of America were filled by the same person.   But as the responsibilities for each position grew, the positions were split.  And as digital technologies improved, allowing for the possibility for the Editor of Speculum to work remotely, the council of the Medieval Academy of America, following the lead of other academic journals in the U.S., decided for the first time in its history to allow the Editor to work off-site and to partner with a university to continue producing this flagship journal.   

Says Professor Jansen:  “This is a major achievement for the Catholic University of America, which cements its role as a leader in the interdisciplinary study of the Middle Ages.  I couldn’t be more pleased with this new arrangement between the Medieval Academy of America and the university.  Speculum is the gold standard in the field of medieval studies, and Catholic University, with its stellar faculty (including four other prominent medieval historians in my own department), promising graduate students, and Center for Medieval and Byzantine Studies, provides just the right setting at just the right time in the journal’s history.  I’m thrilled that the editorship brings with it a competitive post-doctoral position and other editorial positions which offer the possibility of meaningful work and internships to our students.  I thank Aaron Dominguez, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, and Ralph Albano, Vice Provost for Sponsored Research, for recognizing this mutually profitable opportunity and working so hard to make it a reality.”