Interpreting and Representing the Medieval Past
The Medieval Studies Research Group brings together academics, archivists, librarians, postgraduate students, and postdoctoral researchers with interdisciplinary interests both in the medieval period itself and in the later interpretation and representation of the medieval past. We have a strong relationship with the wider scholarly and professional community including Lincoln Cathedral Library and Archives, with whom we collaborate in our teaching and research. Key themes include: premodern Iberia and the Western Mediterranean; Lincoln, Britain and the North Atlantic; gender and identity, society and culture; inter-faith exchanges and religion; and archives, heritage, and medievalism.
We foster academic links within and beyond the University of Lincoln through hosting external speakers; organizing the annual Lincoln medieval lecture and ‘Medieval Week’; hosting international conferences; and contributing to national and international research networks and projects. Our research group's news can be followed on our blog.
Research Themes and Sustainable Development Goals
Our research is embedded in the following University research themes, a unique set of areas that key into our goals as a civic university undertaking internationally significant research with local relevance, and as researchers engaged in the pursuit of excellence. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals badges represent our research and collaborations in terms of their contribution to the issues the world faces today and into the future.
Our Research
Premodern Iberia and the Western Mediterranean
The Medieval Studies Research Group features the largest cluster of medieval Iberianists in the United Kingdom. Our members examine premodern Iberia and the Western Mediterranean through a wide range of topics, including: the power and authority of Iberian rulers (both Christian and Islamic); economy and society in pre-modern Iberia; the Visigoths and their legacy; and intellectual cultures in pre-modern Iberia.
Lincoln, Britain and the North Atlantic
Members of the Medieval Studies Research Group work on a wide range of topics relating to the medieval city and diocese of Lincoln, medieval England, and the wider North Atlantic, including: the archaeology and history of medieval Lincolnshire; the church in the medieval diocese of Lincoln; English royal government in the thirteenth century; landscape and built environment in Britain; and trade and exchange in the medieval North Atlantic.
Gender and Identity, Culture and Society
The Medieval Studies Research Group examines medieval gender, identity, culture, and society throughout the Middle Ages, notably: the legacy of Rome in Late Antiquity through to the late Middle Ages; medieval literature and culture; the history of women, children, and families; queens, aristocracies, and elites; medieval education and learning; and the history of emotions.
Inter-Faith Exchanges and Religion
The Medieval Studies Research Group examines inter-faith exchanges and religion throughout the Middle Ages, with particular attention on the Western Mediterranean world, including: Christian-Muslim relations (600-1500); hagiography and the cult of saints in early medieval Iberia and Gaul; and twelfth-century monasticism.
Archives, Heritage, and Medievalism
The Medieval Studies Research Group is interested not only in the medieval period itself but also in the later interpretation and representation of the medieval past. Our members work with, study, and publish widely on archives and medieval records, and also interpret the medieval past for the public.
Research Activity
Medieval Studies Research Group Events
Upcoming Events
| Date | Event | Subject | Time and Location | How to Get Involved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2023 to January 2024 | Research Seminars |
Semester A Research Seminars, Open to All |
Various times - on campus and online | Find out more |
Previous Events
Please use the links in the table to view previous events.
| Event | Subject | View |
|---|---|---|
| Medieval Week 2022 | Liminal Identities in Medieval Worlds. | View |
| A Medieval Sound Bites Podcast | 'Recovering Voices: Women, Christians, and Conversion in the Early Medieval Period' - Nicola Meyrick and Susan Phillips. | View |
| A Medieval Sound Bites Podcast | 'Medieval Heritage and Archives in the Modern Era' - Lynsey Coombs and Bethany Elliott. | View |
| A Medieval Sound Bites Podcast | 'PGR Feature: Archives and Animals' - Katherine Delaney and Gary Stephen. | View |
| Medieval Week - April 2021 | 'A Medieval Scribe in the Modern Day: the Illuminations of Toni Watts'. | View |
| Medieval Week - April 2021 | An Overview of Medieval Week at the University of Lincoln. | View |
| Medieval Sound Bites Podcast | 'Women, Households and Power in the 13th Century' - Paula Del Val Vales and Dr Anaïs Waag. | View |
| Medieval Sound Bites Podcast | 'Digging in the Dirt: Forensic Science in Ancient and Medieval Archaeology' - Dr Sam Tipper and Dr Charlotte Primeau. | View |
| Local and Global Perspectives Research Seminar | The Medieval Mediterranean. 'The Autobiographical Impulse in the Medieval Mediterranean' - Dr Franz-Joseph Arlinghaus (Universität Bielefeld), Dr Jaume Aurell (Universidad de Navarra), and Dr Afrodesia McCannon (NYU), chaired by Dr Antonella Liuzzo Scorpo. | View |
| Local and Global Perspectives Research Seminar | The Medieval Mediterranean. 'Queenship studies across the Medieval Mediterranean and Western Europe' - Dr Anais Waag and Paula Del Val Vales. | View |
| Research Seminars (2020-21) |
An Overview of Our Semester A Research Seminars. |
View |
| Research Seminars (2020-21) |
An Overview of Our Semester B Research Seminars. |
View |
| Research Seminars (2021-22) |
An Overview of Our Research Seminars. |
View |