Naomi Makowska is an emerging historian of early modern Italy and a PhD candidate at Queen’s University
She has served as a Minor Field Examiner (defended July 2021) and has been involved in academic supervision and committees, such as with UNESCO's Memory of the World Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean (MOWLAC).
: Her doctoral dissertation examined Inquisition trial records from Modena, Italy. She specifically investigated how women engaged with and circulated forbidden information, ranging from "love magic" to the conjuring of demons.
By systematically mining the original trial records of the , she evaluated the cases of roughly 507 women prosecuted for religious infractions. These offenses included: Love magic aimed at controlling relationships Superstition and healing spells to navigate illnesses Blasphemy and demon conjuring to reclaim agency
Second, her focus on the Inquisition speaks to . In an era of renewed debates over religious liberty, surveillance, and institutional control, the study of early modern tribunals offers sobering reflections on how societies police belief and enforce orthodoxy. naomi makowska
As Makowska advances toward the completion of her PhD, her future contributions to the field hold considerable promise. Completion of her dissertation will likely produce a monograph-length study of early modern Italian women and the Inquisition—a work that could become a standard reference for scholars of gender, religion, and legal history. Postdoctoral positions, academic publishing, and conference presentations will further disseminate her insights.
Makowska’s scholarship challenges traditional historical narratives by bringing the marginalized experiences of early modern women into sharp focus. Through her innovative examination of archival records, she uncovers the covert ways women navigated power dynamics, religious scrutiny, and societal taboos. Academic Foundations and Trajectory
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Makowska’s stated research interests reveal the of her project: Naomi Makowska is an emerging historian of early
is a prominent historian of early modern Italy whose groundbreaking research centers on the intersections of gender, religion, and underground knowledge production. Professionally recognized for her deep archival work with Inquisition records, Makowska serves as a Web Editor for the Society for the Study of Early Modern Women and Gender (SSEMWG) . Her academic contributions challenge traditional historical narratives by re-centering the lives, agency, and covert defiance of women in the 16th and 17th centuries. Academic Background and Credentials
Naomi Makowska is a historian specializing in the social and cultural history of early modern Europe, particularly focusing on gender, knowledge production, and urban spaces in 17th-century Italy. Based out of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Makowska’s work illuminates the largely undocumented lives of non-elite women, uncovering how they operated within, and sometimes against, the established structures of their time.
What comes next for the 29-year-old creator? According to a leaked industry report (later confirmed by her agent), Makowska is developing a physical product: a line of imperfect ceramics called "Wabi-Sabi Home," set to launch in Q4 2025. Unlike typical influencer merch (hoodies and water bottles), the ceramics will be hand-thrown in small batches in Portugal and priced at premium tier ($80–$200 per piece).
: Specifically focusing on urban centers like Modena. Professional Recognition By systematically mining the original trial records of
While not a mainstream Hollywood celebrity nor a chart-topping musician, Makowska has carved out a distinct niche that blends lifestyle, authenticity, and sharp visual storytelling. For those who follow the intersections of fashion, travel, and the "slow living" movement, Naomi Makowska represents a new kind of aristocrat—one who rules not by birthright, but by aesthetic consistency and relatability.
Publication in a Routledge sourcebook is a significant achievement for a doctoral candidate, signaling that Makowska’s work has already received external peer validation and holds value for the wider scholarly community.
: She was recently announced as the incoming Website Manager for the
Beyond the occult, Dr. Makowska tracks broader social structures of marginalization. At the 50th Anniversary Conference of the Canadian Society for Renaissance Studies (CSRS/SCÉR), she presented her paper titled "Becoming Giulia: The Social Construction of a Marginal Woman in Early Modern Modena," which highlights how female identities were systematically policed and constructed by both local communities and inquisitorial courts.