The CMRC community gathers scholars and renowned academics as well as postgraduate research students from across the faculty of Arts and Humanities. We study such topics as history, literature, politics, music, material culture, buildings and landscape of the period between late antiquity and 1700. We are all experts in our respective discipline, but what bring us together is a strong interest in interdisciplinarity and a commitment in developing an interdisciplinary approach to research. Our main activity, as a centre, revolves around the organisation of interdisciplinary study days, conferences and the Reuter lecture.
You can see our past news, events and seminars on our archive pages.
Identity, culture and language in the pre-modern world (c. 500-1700): interactions and exchanges - CMRC Study day - 31 May 2022
The CMRC held a hybrid study day on ‘Identity, culture and language in the pre-modern world’, responding to the emerging interest in global histories and questions of cross-cultural interaction and exchange that has energized the fields of Medieval and Early Modern studies in recent years. This energy filled Lecture Theatre C, not only through fascinating papers and lectures delivered by nine speakers (both junior and more senior scholars) but also from a stimulating roundtable on linguistic challenges. The themes took us across the globe, with a particular stress on the entangled histories of Europe and Africa, and a superb keynote lecture delivered by Prof. Verena Krebs on medieval Ethiopia (Ruhr-University, Bochum) and this year’s Reuter lecture on A Wet-nurse Controversy: Jews, Christians, and later Medieval ‘Racism’ which was splendidly delivered by Professor Irven M. Resnick (University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, USA).
Read more about this event and listen to the two keynote lectures
The Enemy: A pre-modern perspective (c. 500-1700): CMRC Conference – 19 & 20 January 2022
This two-day interdisciplinary conference included eighteen speakers from across the UK and beyond the seas who teased the concepts of enemy and enmity, exploring how pre-modern societies understood the perception, labelling and declination of enemies and enmity, and how powerful and pervasive a rhetorical figure the enemy was in political and religious discourse. In the tradition of the events organised by the centre, the conference offered a friendly and interdisciplinary platform which allows junior researchers and established scholars to meet and discuss new research, ideas and approaches. The geographical breadth of the contributions stretching across Europe and the Middle East and the variety of the themes addressed – including, the crusades, heresy, witchcraft, women, spies, ‘dark trophies’, apocalyptic and pre-Machiavellian literature – triggered some fascinating conversations with a world-wide audience.
Read more about this event and listen to Professor John France’s podcasted lecture.
Winner of 'History Book of the Year' in Scotland's National Book Awards 2021
The Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Culture is delighted to announce that Professor Maria Hayward's latest book Style: Monarchy, Dress and the Scottish Male Elite (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2020), has been awarded Scottish History Book of the Year in Scotland's National Book Awards.
The CMRC offers Professor Hayward its very warm congratulations for this great achievement and token of esteem to her excellent scholarship.
Read More about Maria's book and what the judges said.
People, Place and the City: CMRC Study Day and Reuter Lecture - 26 May 2021
On 26 May 2021, the CMRC held an online interdisciplinary study day dedicated to the urban world. Its aim was to explore the dynamics that shaped urban space, cultures and identities in pre-modern societies (c. 500- c. 1700) and how present-day cities and citizens, relate to their historical/cultural heritage. The day was divided in three parts. We began with a workshop which was focused on the study of the past. This was followed by a round table discussion focused on Southampton’s past in the present : a very topical subject here, in Southampton, as the city is preparing a bid to become UK city of culture in 2025. The day ended with the 2021 Reuter lecture given by Professor Catherine Clarke on ‘Making places: heritage, renewal and site-specific medievalism’.
Read more about these combined events and listen to the Reuter lecture here.
Aspects of Pilgrimage: A Multidisciplinary Approach - 7 May 2021
This seminar came about as a result of a virtual CMRC coffee morning where several members of the CMRC found common ground in the subject of medieval pilgrimage, despite coming from different disciplines and using very different methods and resources for their research. This seminar brought together those multidisciplinary strands to demonstrate how a variety of very different sources can be used to create a holistic picture of how and why a variety of individuals undertook pilgrimage in the Middle Ages.
The Maritime World: CMRC Study Day and Reuter Lecture - 2 December 2020
The interdisciplinary study day draws together individuals from multiple disciplines to discuss on themes that cut across all aspects of maritime studies, such as communities, environment, connectivity, trade, shipping, the sea in thought, law and representation, and global and regional development in the pre-modern world (c. 500-c. 1700).
The Reuter Lecture: ‘An Ocean of Laws: Medieval and Early Modern Mediterranean and Global History’, delivered by Professor Maria Fusaro (University of Exeter), focuses on the relationship between early modern global and maritime history, and argues for the importance of the legal element in shaping both.
Read more about these two events and listen to the Reuter lecture here.
Professor Chris Woolgar has been elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2020
In this year of pandemic and distancing, the Southampton history department is united in pleasure and appreciation at the election of our colleague, Professor Chris Woolgar, as a Fellow of the British Academy. This is a rare and high honour, which is given to a few of the most influential, original and admired academics internationally across the fields of the humanities and social sciences each year. It recognises how each fellow has contributed to a subject or subjects through published work of the highest quality, through creative and innovative scholarship, and through consistent service. These attributes can be seen throughout Chris’s career.
Conference in Honour of Professor Anne Curry -Avenue Campus Saturday 11 January 2020
The Centre for Medieval And Renaissance Culture held a conference in honour of Emerita Professor Anne Curry on Avenue Campus. Fifteen speakers, including former students, friends and colleagues delivered excellent papers on topics which have inspired Anne throughout her academic career.
You can find out more about the event in our Staff Matters magazine and consult the programme here.