Ellen F Arnold

I am an environmental historian who specializes in medieval religious history, cultural history, and water history. I am drawn to the study of the past because it is a space where we can explore complex and complicated questions about human relationships—with each other and with the rest of the natural world. Stories about the past are places where we can find truly different ideas and ways of thinking, and at the same time discover deep connections and resonances with our own lives.

As of 2024, I am Senior Lecturer at the Ohio State University. Previously, I was Associate Professor of History at the University of Stavanger, Norway, where I was part of the Greenhouse Center for Environmental Humanities. I was also Professor of History at Ohio Wesleyan University, and a fellow at the Rachel Carson Center for Environmental Humanities in 2013.

Bsky: @medievalpenguin.bsky.social

Twitter: @EFArnold

Instagram: @EllenArnold