Sheiba Kian Kaufman

For centuries, the enigmatic figure of the Queen of Sheba has been a global icon prompting wonder and curiosity in legends, religious texts, sermons, and today in pop culture. Her origin stories are vast and varied across the ancient world as she features in narratives in the Judeo-Christian, Islamic, and Ethiopian contexts. This interdisciplinary project is a literary and historical study of the Queen of Sheba paradigm in early modern England coupled with a public humanities initiative: a podcast on "Women, Wit, and Wisdom" that aims to inspire future generations of students in the humanities through meaningful conversations about female leadership, both past and present.