Ryan Seibert

Ryan Seibert is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Department of History at Washington University in St. Louis.  Ryan’s research interests lay, broadly, in the social and cultural history of early modern period Europe (specifically the Holy Roman Empire). He specializes in the sociocultural mechanics and origins of popular belief, magic, and witchcraft.  Ryan’s research is primarily focused on the concept of child witches and what these individuals can tell us about childhood in early modern Germany.  Methodologically, Ryan’s interests also exist at the intersection of social and cultural history and the art history of northern Europe.

Ryan is a proud native of Cleveland, Ohio who earned his B.A. in Philosophy from Denison University in 2019 and his M.A. in History from Cleveland State University 2024.

When he is not doing history, Ryan is an avid runner, having formerly competed at the Division III collegiate level for Denison University.  Ryan is also a passionate fan of comic books and loves sports.  He is a fan of FC Bayern Munich, the Detroit Red Wings, and the Detroit Lions. Ryan and his wife are proud cat parents of two exceptionally friendly cats who like to be around their humans when they read on the couch.