Hello and welcome to Durham MEMSA Outreach!
One of MEMSA’s main aims as a student organisation is to share our research with the wider public, and we take great delight in taking you on a journey through the medieval and early modern world. The highlight of the year is the eight-week summer community course. Formerly, this programme of seminars was held in the Durham’s world heritage centre but due to the pandemic, and following the success of 2020’s new digital format, this year’s course will also be taking place online in the hope of reaching out – once more – to an even wider and more global audience.
It is completely free, open to all, and released in weekly instalments from late May until mid-July. Each session will be led by a specialist researcher and will consist of a pre-recorded lecture video followed by a live Zoom discussion session – this is an opportunity to meet the presenters in an informal setting and to ask any burning questions. We aim to engage with as many people as possible – especially those who might not otherwise be involved in Medieval and Early Modern studies – and to give postgraduates and early career researchers the opportunity to disseminate their research and gain experience in teaching and presenting to a non-academic audience.
Previous themes have included alchemy, astronomy, witchcraft and magic, c. 500-1700 AD, law, and others have focussed on Durham itself in medieval and early modern society, ranging from literature and warfare to religion and rural society. Last year’s theme was ‘Medieval and Early Modern Gardens’, and lessons covered gardens in medieval French manuscripts, Japanese gardens, gardens in Mughal Indian miniatures, Eden, herbs, trees, Rome, and much more!
And this year, our theme is… MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN FOOD.
Tutors are encouraged to explore and interpret the subject as broadly as possible, examining, for example, food in painting, sculpture, literature, tapestries, theatre, and music, as well as from historical, archaeological, or religious perspectives. We are keen on topics that have the potential to expand common conceptions about food in the period – understudied cultures and cultural exchange are encouraged with particular enthusiasm. We would be delighted if you could join us! Visit the community course tab to find our weekly videos.
Follow the link below to sign up and receive weekly emails and the zoom links for our Friday Q&A sessions.
Community Course summer 2021 sign up!
Here are some videos from our 2020 community course:
MEMSA Community Course Week 6: The Gardens of Mughal Indian Miniature Painting 1550-1620
Medieval and Early Modern Student Association 