Isabel Machado is a cultural historian whose work often crosses national and disciplinary boundaries. She specializes in the fields of Gender & Sexuality and Celebration Studies, and is particularly interested in Carnivals and drag competitions. Her forthcoming monograph, "Carnival in Alabama: Marked Bodies and Invented Traditions in Mobile" investigates how historically marginalized groups of people used Mardi Gras to negotiate their space and place in Mobile, Alabama (USA). For the ongoing oral history project, Queens of the South, she is interviewing performers who defy gender normativity in different parts of the globe. She is also co-editor of the Journal of Festive Studies.
Isabel Machado is a cultural historian whose work often crosses national and disciplinary boundaries.