Dr. Connie Bloomfield Gadelha

Biography

Connie Bloomfield-Gadelha is a Lecturer in Liberal Arts with a focus on Classics, Ancient History, and Classical Studies at the University of Bristol. Her research delves into the popular and grassroots receptions of ancient cultures, emphasizing the relationships that communities forge with the past. This interdisciplinary work integrates elements of Classics, Anthropology, Modern Languages, and Performance Studies. A current project involves a monograph examining the receptions of Graeco-Roman antiquity through the lens of popular oral poetries in Northeast Brazil, exploring how contemporary cantadores preserve African and indigenous oralities within the troubadour traditions introduced by 16th-century Portuguese colonizers. Bloomfield-Gadelha argues that these traditions contribute significantly to classical reception studies and reveal complex interactions between Northeast-Brazilian popular poetry and transatlantic history. Her diverse research experiences include extensive trips to rural Northeast Brazil, interviews, and collaborations with universities and archives. Additionally, she has co-edited a volume on ancient Greek literature and has published works analyzing cultural conflicts in Brazilian poetry. An enthusiastic collaborator with contemporary poets and artists, she actively engages with literary communities and has organized notable events related to poetry translation and art.

Research Interests