Dr. Rachel Weil

Biography

Rachel Judith Weil is a Professor in the Department of History at Cornell University, focusing on early modern English political and cultural history, with particular interests in the intertwined concepts of gender and political identity. Her research examines the roles that gender, family, and political argument played in shaping political discourse and legitimacy in England from 1680 to 1714. She authored 'Political Passions: Gender, Family Political Argument England 1680-1714' (1999) and 'A Plague Informers: Conspiracy Political Trust William III's England' (2013), where she explores the implications of trust and social dynamics in the context of the 1688 Revolution and the early Williamite regime. Weil's current project delves into the history of detention and imprisonment in early modern England, analyzing the political ramifications of confinement in various forms, including prisons and asylums. Her teaching includes courses on English/British history from 1500 to 1800, with thematic classes such as 'Gender Power' and 'Law Revolution'.

Research Interests

Experience