Rate My Professor James Williams

Dr. James B. Williams is an Associate Professor of History in the Department of History and Political Science at the University of Indianapolis, where he concurrently serves as Dean of the Ron & Laura Strain Honors College. He holds a PhD from Purdue University (2009), for which his dissertation, "The Adoptive Son of God, the Pregnant Virgin, and the Fortification of the True Faith: Heterodoxy, the Cult of the Virgin Mary, and Benedict of Aniane in the Carolingian Age," earned the Distinguished Dissertation Award from Purdue's College of Liberal Arts. Williams also possesses an MStud from Oxford University and a BA from the College of William and Mary. His specialties include medieval Europe and Latin America, with areas of expertise spanning ancient Roman history, medieval history, early modern history, and Latin American history. Research interests focus on early medieval history, pre-modern religious history, and Carolingian culture. Throughout his career, he has presented at numerous international conferences, contributed encyclopedia entries, and reviewed textbooks. As a leader in honors education, Williams has driven significant growth in the Honors College, including a 450% increase in honors graduates over eight years.

Williams' scholarly contributions feature publications such as "The Tennessee Civil War Centennial Commission: Looking to the Past as Tennessee Plans for the Future" in the Tennessee Historical Quarterly (2008) and "Working for Reform: Acedia and the Transformation of Working Culture in Carolingian Monasticism" in Sin in Medieval and Early Modern Culture (2012). He is presently at work on his first monograph, adapted from his award-winning dissertation. In 2016, he received the University of Indianapolis Teacher of the Year award, recognizing his excellence in instruction among over 550 faculty. In 2024, Williams hosted the pilot episode "Alaric the Goth and the Sack of Rome" for The Great Courses Plus, the first such feature for a UIndy faculty member, highlighting his expertise on the fall of the Roman Empire. Previously serving as Executive Director of the Honors College, he continues to shape interdisciplinary education and historical scholarship at the institution.