About Me

I am a historian and writer specializing in modern European history, Napoleonic warfare, Irish studies, Holocaust historiography, and the ethics of historical memory. My work examines how historical truth is established in the aftermath of mass violence, particularly where eyewitness testimony, trauma, and documentary evidence intersect.

I hold a degree in History from Saint Mary’s College (Blecka-Zatko Award for Excellence in Senior Composition), with double minors in Irish Language and Literature and Irish Studies from the University of Notre Dame, and completed graduate studies in Modern European History through the University of Edinburgh. My academic training is complemented by professional experience in public-facing historical and cultural interpretation, including work as a docent at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

Alongside my historical research, I write essays, historical fiction, and poetry that engage critically with war, memory, and moral responsibility. My long-form essays often originate in academic research and are revised for wider public audiences, with a focus on methodological rigour and ethical clarity. Recent work includes published examinations of irredentism preceding World War I, the role of the media in shaping public views during The Troubles, Holocaust testimony, war crimes trials, and the cultural afterlife of twentieth-century violence in Disability infrastructure.

I am the founder of Accessible France, consultancy and media platform currently based in New York City, founded in the Paris region, and focused on accessible, neuro-inclusive, and allergy-safe cultural travel. This work draws on my lived experience as a Profoundly Disabled person, on my professional experience in the museum sector, and on my historical expertise to analyze cultural institutions, infrastructure, and heritage sites through the lens of access, dignity, and independent participation. While distinct from my scholarly writing, this project reflects a shared commitment to public engagement, cultural literacy, and ethical practice.

I work fluently in French, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Russian, Italian, and Latin, using these languages for historical research, translation, and cross-cultural analysis.

I am based in New York City, previously based in France and Chicago, and work internationally, including with partners and institutions in the United Kingdom.

Selected Online Publications

Weaponized Canines: The Dog as a Tool of Oppression
Long-form essay on the historical use of dogs as instruments of coercion and violence.
Available on Medium —> https://medium.com/@kelseymaurinebrickl/weaponised-canines-fd1e945f18ee

The Second of the Two World Wars
Poem that makes difficult, deliberate reference to acts of brutality and suffering committed by multiple belligerents in WWII to underscore the universality of its horror.
Available on Substack —> https://substack.com/home/post/p-183115133

“Never, Never, Never” and the Girl on the Left: Bernadette Devlin and Ian Paisley With Media as Judge and Jury
Research paper analyzing how the media shaped public opinion during the Troubles.
Available via Scribd —> https://www.scribd.com/document/974695134/Media-Framing-of-Ian-Paisley-and-Bernadette-Devlin-during-the-Troubles-in-the-North-of-Ireland

"The Math of Hypocrisy: Burgers, Minivans… and AI in Lesson Plans.” Op-ed exploring cognitive dissonance in public discourse about environmentalism and AI use. Available on Medium —>https://medium.com/@kelseybrickl/the-math-of-hypocrisy-burgers-minivans-and-ai-in-lesson-plans-e6c4acab1c6f