Dr. Sarah Bowden

Biography

Sarah Bowden is a medievalist specializing in literature and culture in the German-speaking world. She studied at the University of Cambridge, the University of Freiburg in Breisgau, and the University of Cologne. She joined King's College London in 2012 as a research fellow and became a Professor of German Medieval Studies in 2025. Bowden has served as the Head of the Department of German from 2019 to 2022, and is currently the Head of the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. She has authored significant works including "Bridal-Quest Epics in Medieval Germany: A Revisionary Approach" (2012) and "Writing Sin in German Lands, 1050–1215: Confession, Penance, Textuality" (2025). She is involved in AHRC-funded projects focused on the cult of St. Oswald in Northumbria and its influence in the German-speaking world. Bowden actively engages in public outreach and collaborates with creative practitioners. Her teaching covers both undergraduate and postgraduate modules in medieval literature and culture, reflecting her commitment to collaborative and transhistorical approaches in education. Her research interests include medieval German literature and manuscript culture, as well as the intersection of literature and theology, especially regarding the eleventh and twelfth centuries.

Research Interests