The Medieval Academy Blog

MAA News – Upcoming Grant Deadlines

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Chris

The Medieval Academy of America invites applications for the following grants. Please note that applicants must be members in good standing in order to be eligible for Medieval Academy awards.

Belle Da Costa Greene Award

The Belle Da Costa Greene Award of $2,000 will be granted annually to a medievalist of color for research and travel. The award may be used to visit archives, attend conferences, or to facilitate writing and research. The award will be granted on the basis of the quality of the proposed project, the applicant’s budgetary needs (as expressed by a submitted budget and in the project narrative), and the estimation of the ways in which the award will facilitate the applicant’s research and contribute to the field. Special consideration will be given to graduate students, emerging junior scholars, adjunct, and unaffiliated scholars. Click here for more information. (Deadline 15 February 2025)

Olivia Remie Constable Award

Four Olivia Remie Constable Awards of $1,500 each will be granted to emerging junior faculty, adjunct or unaffiliated scholars (broadly understood: post-doctoral, pre-tenure) for research and travel. Click here for more information. (Deadline 15 February 2025)

MAA Dissertation Grants :

The nine annual Medieval Academy Dissertation Grants support advanced graduate students who are writing Ph.D. dissertations on medieval topics. The $2,000 grants help defray research expenses. Click here for more information. (Deadline 15 February 2025)

Schallek Awards

The five annual Schallek awards support graduate students conducting doctoral research in any relevant discipline dealing with late-medieval Britain (ca. 1350-1500). The $5,000 awards help defray research expenses. Click here for more information. (Deadline 15 February 2025)

MAA/GSC Grant for Innovation in Community-Building and Professionalization

The MAA/GSC Grant(s) will be awarded to an individual or graduate student group from one or more universities. The purpose of this grant is to stimulate new and innovative efforts that support pre-professionalization, encourage communication and collaboration across diverse groups of graduate students, and build communities amongst graduate student medievalists. Click here for more information. (Deadline 15 February 2025)

Please contact the Executive Director for more information about these and other MAA programs.

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Book Talk

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Chris

MAA members Matt Gabriele and David Perry will be in Cambridge on 23 January to promote their new book, Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers that Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe. Click here for more information.

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Registration is Now Open for the Centennial Meeting of the Medieval Academy of America!

Posted on January 3, 2025 by Chris

Registration is now open for the Centennial Meeting of the Medieval Academy of America, which will take place on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts on 20-22 March 2025. This year’s Centennial program, hosted by Harvard University in collaboration with Boston College, Boston University, Brandeis University, Fitchburg State University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stonehill College, Tufts University, and Wellesley College, will bring together nearly 500 scholars from three continents, 23 countries, over 200 academic institutions, and a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds for 114 paper sessions, four plenary lectures, and a host of associated workshops and events, addressing the medieval world from the North Atlantic to the Sea of Japan as well as the histories and possible futures of Medieval Studies itself. While this will be an in-person meeting, our plenary lectures—given by Kristina Richardson (Professor of History and Middle Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Virginia), Sara Lipton (President of the Medieval Academy of America and Professor of History at Stony Brook University), Wendy Belcher (Professor of Comparative Literature and African American Studies at Princeton University), and a diverse group of medieval scholars and administrators—will be live streamed.

We are excited to welcome you to Cambridge, and look forward to meeting you, learning from you, and celebrating our shared commitment to Medieval Studies. In an effort to make the Centennial meeting accessible to as many scholars as possible, the general registration fee will be $100 for members ($125 for non-members), with the registration fee for members who are graduate students, contingent faculty, or independent scholars set at $50 ($75 non-member). These rates will increase by $50 on Monday, 17 February, so be sure to register early!

Click here for more information and to register!

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Undergraduate Conference in Medieval Studies

Posted on December 18, 2024 by Chris

Saturday, April 26, 2025, Binghamton University

The Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Binghamton University is organizing its first Undergraduate Conference in Medieval Studies. We welcome proposals from all undergraduate students interested in any aspect of the Middle Ages. “Medieval” here is broadly construed, including any time period between approximately 400 CE to 1600 CE. In line with current interest in a Global Middle Ages, we welcome papers on any geographic region and any topic related to the history or culture of the medieval past.

Students should plan to deliver 12- to 15-minute presentations on their own research and should be prepared to answer questions as part of a general Q&A at the end of each panel. We hope for participants from the disciplines of History, English, Art History, Classics, Music, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Archaeology, and Foreign Languages, with the intention of creating sessions that represent the true interdisciplinarity of Medieval Studies.

Even though this is an undergraduate conference, we hope you will approach it in a professional manner. Focus on crafting a strong thesis, ensure your abstract is coherent , and ask your peers and professors for feedback. Your abstract will be judged not only on the caliber of your topic and ideas, but also on how well you articulate yourself.

The proposal deadline is January 31, 2025.

Please submit your 250-word proposals via the link below.

https://forms.gle/ussUxfuh2R8PVhZd9

Please Note:

There are no registration fees for the conference, although you and/or your faculty mentor are responsible for arranging your transportation to and from the conference.
Lunch will be provided for those presenting a paper and there will be coffee/snacks available throughout the day. Other meals are self-directed.
Conference rooms will be equipped for A/V. If presenters would like to use PowerPoint slides, we will ask that these be sent to us one week prior to the conference.

If you have any questions, please direct them to Bing.Mdvl@gmail.com

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Call for applications for a research grant in Paleography

Posted on December 17, 2024 by Chris

Call for applications for a research grant in Paleography at the University of Roma Tre, within the project CLASSICS – Codices Latini Antiquiores’ Supplements: Scripts In-depth through Computer Sciences.

“Census, paleographic and codicological description of manuscripts for a volume of Addenda to the Codices Latini Antiquiores”.

The deadline is January 20, 2025, and all information is available here: https://apps.uniroma3.it/public/assegni/cartellaAssegni/1a7a7b2b-7d0c-4d29-9179-e8734ff3d5c5.pdf.

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Jobs For Medievalists

Posted on December 13, 2024 by Chris

The Hesburgh Libraries are accepting applications for a Rare Books Cataloging Specialist. We are looking for an energetic, customer-focused library professional to join our team in the role of Rare Books Cataloging Specialist. Reporting to the Department Head, Cataloging and Metadata Services, Rare Books Cataloging Specialist is responsible for original and copy cataloging and final processing of rare and distinctive library materials in various languages in collaboration with the Rare Books Cataloging and Metadata Librarian. This position works closely with colleagues in the Rare Books and Special Collections and University Archives Departments to identify and process rare materials.

Duties include:

Rare books cataloging – Performs original and complex copy cataloging for rare and special materials in a variety of formats (e.g. books, serials, broadsides, posters, prints, maps, single item manuscripts) and languages, adhering to the MARC21, RDA, and DCRM standards as appropriate. Formulates subject headings and call numbers, applying Library of Congress Subject Headings and LC Classification, respectively. Creates and updates authority records, contributing to NACO as appropriate.
Preservation – Contributes to the preservation of collection materials through the assessment of items to determine when conservation treatment or specialized housing is appropriate.
Rare books processing – Works closely with colleagues in the Rare Books and Special Collections and University Archives Departments to identify and process rare materials, including the creation of bookmarks used to identify rare materials.

Minimum qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree – preferably in specific subject areas relevant to the rare books collection, such as history, literature, art, or medieval studies) OR an MLS degree from an ALA-accredited program
Demonstrated original cataloging experience, preferably with rare materials
Knowledge of national and international cataloging standards and controlled vocabularies, in particular, RDA, MARC21, and Library of Congress Classification and Subject Headings
Reading proficiency in at least one foreign language and familiarity with additional languages other than English.
Ability to work with other unfamiliar languages
Familiarity with the principles of identity management, authority control, and the application of controlled vocabularies
Ability to apply critical thinking skills to the cataloging process, particularly when dealing with materials that deviate from the standard format of modern and commonly encountered library resources

Hiring Pay Range: $50,000 – $80,000 – Commensurate with experience

The full position posting and application instructions can be found on the University of Notre Dame Jobs website: https://jobs.nd.edu/postings/36616 Job posting #36616. We are accepting applications through January 13, 2025.

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Call for Applications: Mary Jaharis Center Grants 2025–2026

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Chris

The Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture is pleased to announce its 2025–2026 grant competition.

Mary Jaharis Center Co-Funding Grants promote Byzantine studies in North America. These grants provide co-funding to organize scholarly gatherings (e.g., workshops, seminars, small conferences) in North America that advance scholarship in Byzantine studies broadly conceived. We are particularly interested in supporting convenings that build diverse professional networks that cross the boundaries of traditional academic disciplines, propose creative approaches to fundamental topics in Byzantine studies, or explore new areas of research or methodologies.

Mary Jaharis Center Dissertation Grants are awarded to advanced graduate students working on Ph.D. dissertations in the field of Byzantine studies broadly conceived. These grants are meant to help defray the costs of research-related expenses, e.g., travel, photography/digital images, microfilm.

Mary Jaharis Center Publication Grants support book-length publications or major articles in the field of Byzantine studies broadly conceived. Grants are aimed at early career academics. Preference will be given to postdocs and assistant professors, though applications from non-tenure track faculty and associate and full professors will be considered. We encourage the submission of first-book projects.

Mary Jaharis Center Project Grants support discrete and highly focused professional projects aimed at the conservation, preservation, and documentation of Byzantine archaeological sites and monuments dated from 300 CE to 1500 CE primarily in Greece and Turkey. Projects may be small stand-alone projects or discrete components of larger projects. Eligible projects might include archeological investigation, excavation, or survey; documentation, recovery, and analysis of at risk materials (e.g., architecture, mosaics, paintings in situ); and preservation (i.e., preventive measures, e.g., shelters, fences, walkways, water management) or conservation (i.e., physical hands-on treatments) of sites, buildings, or objects.

The application deadline for all grants is February 1, 2025. For further information, please visit the Mary Jaharis Center website: https://maryjahariscenter.org/grants.

Contact Brandie Ratliff (mjcbac@hchc.edu), Director, Mary Jaharis Center, with any questions.

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Summer Venice Program

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Chris

Columbia Summer in Venice: Info Session
Thursday, December 5th at 12 pm EST

Please join us for this virtual information session to learn more about the Columbia Summer in Venice program. This program offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in the medieval and modern city of Venice, located at the crossroads of east and west and miraculously built on water. This six week summer program, taught on site, offers you the opportunity to choose from a menu of courses in Italian language, Venetian art history and conservation, music, and culture. The academic program is supplemented with a rich cultural activities including group dinners, field trips, museum outings, bike rides, and Aperitivo Italiano – a very popular Italian Conversation outing for non-speakers and advanced students alike.

Even if you are not able to attend live, please register for the session as we will be recording and sending to those who register.

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MAFE Sweet 16 Competition

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Chris

With support from an MAA Centennial Grant, Princeton’s Middle Ages for Educators (MAFE) team has been working to pull together the MAFE Open Access Resources (OAR) Sweet 16 competition and the voting is now open! Our judges have chosen the top 16 submissions and with your vote, you will support the work of these talented scholars, each of whom have prepared an 8-10 minute video with associated readings and discussion questions. These online OARs are for anyone to use, and especially those teaching and learning about the Middle Ages. Follow the link for more on the competition and how to cast your vote.