Daniella Novakovic

Education

M.A. (1:1 Degree) in Early Modern History, King's College London, 2025.
B.A. (Hons) in History and Political Science, The University of Tampa, 2024.

Biography

Daniella is an early modern/late-medieval PhD student at the University of Virginia. She graduated with a B.A. from The University of Tampa and an M.A. from King's College London. Her master's thesis focused on English queenship during the Reformation, particularly how the demotion of the Virgin Mary (from exalted intercessor to passive vessel) resulted in the degradation of queenly bodies and the secularisation of their reproductive duties. The project explored several interrelated themes, including queenship, Mariolatry, the body, doctrinal exegesis, the development of the Protestant state, female piety, and reproductive labour.

Recently, she has shifted her research toward non-royal studies, examining how the Virgin's demotion transformed women's identities at all levels of society. Her project explores how women developed their identities outside of Mary, how pre- and post-Reformation gendered identities differed, and how identity developed uniquely in England compared to Catholic strongholds.

As a PhD student, her research explores the early modern world (c. 1450–1800) at the intersections of the body, religion, memory, and gender. She is also interested in midwifery, print culture, medieval saints and Christian mysticism. She serves as a contributor and peer reviewer for The Royal Studies Journal.

Awards and Honors

Magna Cum Laude, University of Tampa (2024)
Master's Dissertation Distinction, King's College London (2025)
Best Graduate Paper (Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference, Virginia Military Institute, 2026)

Publications

“Applying a Marxist Perspective to Giotto” in the Q: Journal of Undergraduate Research & Inquiry, 2021