Dr. Jane Shaw

Biography

Jane Shaw is a Professor of History and Religion at the University of Oxford, specializing in the history of Christianity and mysticism. She has been awarded a Fellowship at the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study and a Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship for the academic year 2025-2026, during which she will work on her book 'Seeking Infinity: Mystics in the Modern World,' contracted with Penguin Allen Lane. In September 2025, she will take on the role of Principal at Harris Manchester College and serve as Pro-Vice-Chancellor without portfolio at the university. Shaw's notable publications include 'Miracles in Enlightenment England' (Yale University Press, 2006), 'Octavia, Daughter of God: The Story of a Female Messiah and Her Followers' (Jonathan Cape/Yale University Press, 2011), and co-authoring 'Gen Z, Explained: Art in the Living Digital Age' (University of Chicago Press, 2021). Her research interests encompass the history of Christianity, mysticism, and the history of aging.

Research Interests