Abi Kingsnorth: KAS PhD Student Introduction
Abi Kingsnorth is a PhD candidate at Canterbury Christ Church University studying early modern and digital history. Their current research focuses on using British broadside ballads as primary sources to investigate social patterns and attitudes toward gender nonconformity in early modern society.
Ballads held a special place in early modern culture. They were easily produced and affordable, making them highly accessible in popular culture. Additionally, they combined elements of literature and music, giving them a unique mix of oral, musical, and written traditions. Due to their broad audience and distinct role in popular culture, ballads evolved to reflect the popular beliefs and attitudes of the time. As a result, they serve as valuable yet often overlooked historical sources.
Ballads have traditionally been studied as literary works. Abi’s digital approach focuses on reintroducing sound to the research, as ballads were originally meant to be heard. As part of the PhD project, Abi is creating a soundscape to incorporate ballads into the early modern world, aiming to explore how this non-visual history can be presented and understood. A soundscape approach allows ballads to be appreciated as multisensory experiences and provides new insights into attitudes toward gender nonconformity in the early modern era.
[fg]png|Fig 1: Trap, Or, The Young Lass, Pepys Library, Pepys Ballads 3.17, EBBA 21010|Image[/fg]
Research has revealed a range of subjects and themes related to early modern gender nonconformity, such as cross-dressing, cuckolding, and moralising. Abi’s research will contribute to a more comprehensive discussion about gender and sound in the early modern period.
Please email any comments or questions about Abi’s work to AK817@canterbury.ac.uk