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Durham MEMSA

@durhammemsa.bsky.social
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MEMSA is made up of postgraduate students from all disciplines working on the Medieval or Early Modern period at Durham University. ALL welcome at our events.

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Join us for our first talk of term! Welcoming back last year's MEMSA Chair, Amy Doyle, to discuss "From Sickness to Song: The Affective Body in Early Troubadour Lyric". See you at 6pm at 7 Owengate (IMEMS). Everyone welcome!
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
interested in helping shape MEMSA this year? consider joining the committee! apply here: tinyurl.com/2brp4aps
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
introducing your MEMSA executive committee! we can't wait to meet you at our talks and socials starting next week :D
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
HEAR YE HEAR YE 🎺 MEMSA's first social of the new academic year will be on Monday 5th October from 6:30pm at the Shakespeare. See you there!
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Durham MEMSA's bi-weekly seminar series is back!! We welcome submissions of 20-30 minute papers on any topic in any discipline involved in the study of the medieval and early modern periods. Please send your 250-word abstracts to the MEMSA team at memsa.committee@durham.ac.uk by 9th October 2026.
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
We want to leave off by saying we're proud of Ava and Joost for the conference they put on this year, and grateful to IMEMS, St. John's College, and our many chairs and speakers! Thank you to everyone who came! If you'd like to stay involved with MEMSA, see the slides for more details! (🧵8/8)
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
SHORT: The final breakout sessions of the conference featured Isabella Wylie, Denizcan Dede, Pim Storm, Huizhong Qiu, Krjin Korsman, Alan Mao, Amy Doyle, Sloane Getz, and Angelica Casey, before we reconvened for closing remarks (and a quick group pic <3) (🧵7/8)
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Excursions at the conference featured an exclusive preview of the Palace Green Archives, led by Dr. Jonathan Bush; convenors Ava and Joost also took participants on a walking tour of Durham, pointing out its premodern history, sculpture and architecture. (🧵6/8)
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Day 2's breakout panels featured talks on spaces in the medieval/EM world by Annick Gossen, Charis Horsley, and Ylva Axelsson, as well as papers on emotional, marital, and intellectual relations by Leila Marhamati, Emily Walker, and Anthony Zhang (s/o to an all Durham panel)! (🧵5/8)
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Two further panels on day 1 featured presentations on a variety of topics by Santiago García Sosa, Cristina de la Rosa García, Kenzie Scott, Hannah Goldin, Ava Siena Cohen, David Brandon Smith, River Searles, Sharvi Maheshwari, Cameron Flint, Diana Wallis, and Shawn Cheng! (🧵4/8)
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
The first breakout sessions of day 1 were themed "At the Threshold of Death: Illness, Prayer, and Medieval Monasticism", featuring Alice Talleux and Maura McKeon, and "Ceremony, Combat, and Comic Re-Encounter", featuring Elisa Kogan Penha, Rik J. Janssen, and Anna Gotsch. (🧵3/8)
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
We hosted 75 attendees, including over 30 postgraduate speakers presenting a variety of fields in Medieval and Early Modern studies, and were honoured to feature keynotes by Dr Lisa Kattenberg (Amsterdam), Professor Stuart Carroll (York), and Dr Natalie Goodison (Durham). (🧵2/8)
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Earlier this month, Durham MEMSA was proud to host its 20th Annual Conference, ‘Connection, Conversation, Contention: Encounters in the Medieval and Early Modern World’ at St. John's College, Durham, chaired by Ava Siena Cohen and Joost Oosterhuis! (🧵1/8)
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
It's almost time for our 🎺 LAST TALK OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR!!!! 🎺 Come join us on Monday, 29 June to hear our own Harriet Strahl give her paper, "A Man of Many Talents: A Holistic Approach to Henry of Huntingdon"! As always, come at 6pm for tea and biscuits before the talk ✨ See you all there!!!
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
This is your official reminder that registration is currently 🎺OPEN🎺 for the 20th Annual MEMSA Conference! Registration will be open UNTIL 21 JUNE! We hope to see you all at St. John's College, Durham, on the 13-14 July! ✨ Link: tinyurl.com/2sane49r
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
🎺 It's almost time for our next talk! 🎺 Join us on Monday, 8 June, to hear Natalie Hopwood from the University of Leeds give her presentation, ‘Hafði engi heyrt hann tala’: Silence, Communication, and the Unlikely Hero of Sigurðar saga þögla! As usual, join us at 6pm, 7 Owengate! See you there! ✨
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
🎺Join us this bank holiday for our NEXT TALK OF TERM!🎺 We're proud to welcome Chiara Rosso from the University of Chieti-Pescara, who will be giving her talk, "Traces on the Walls: Insights from Medieval and Early Modern Graffiti in Northern Italy"! As always, see you Monday at 7 Owengate, 6pm✨
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
We're excited to announce registration is officially 🎺OPEN🎺for the 20th Annual MEMSA Conference! Registration will be open UNTIL 21 JUNE! We hope to see you all at St. John's College, Durham, on the 13-14 July! ✨ Link: tinyurl.com/2sane49r
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
🎺 It's almost first talk of term time!! 🎺 We look forward to welcoming our guest speaker Lewis Turner next Monday, 11 May, as he presents his paper, Medieval Islamic Travellers: Engagement with the Unknown! As always, see you for tea and to hear his talk at 7 Owengate, next Monday at 6pm!✨
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Welcome back, everyone! It's been a while, but we're excited to announce our official 🎺TERMLY SEMINAR SERIES PROGRAMME!🎺 Note that we have a bit of a delayed start this term, but as always, we'll see you all on alternating Mondays, 6pm, at 7 Owengate! We can't wait to see you again soon!!! ✨
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
While we take a little pause from our biweekly seminar series, we are very excited to announce that, this term break, we’ll be doing ✨WEEKLY PUB NIGHTS!✨ Taking place every Monday of break at the Swan at 7PM, come join us for a casual chat and just to say hello! We can't wait to see you there!!! 💕
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
✨AND, one more BIG announcement... GET READY TO WELCOME BACK THE MEMSA PODCAST! ✨ We, your two temporarily-mysterious hosts (shh let us have this🤭), invite you to join us for casual chats discussing the wildest and most fun parts of the Medieval and Early Modern world—maybe with some guests, too! ✨
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
🎺 Our FINAL TALK of term is coming NEXT WEEK! 🎺 We're excited to have Elisabeth Lee from the University of St. Andrews for her paper, "Reviving the Medieval in the German Democratic Republic (GDR): Werner Tübke's Panorama"! Join us 6pm on Monday, 16 March, 7 Owengate! 💕
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
🎺 IT'S THE FINAL WEEK! 🎺 If you want to be a part of the 20th annual MEMSA conference, Connection, Conversation, Contention: Encounters in the Medieval and Early Modern World, this is your last chance! Submit your application of 300 words no later than Monday the 9th! We hope to hear from you soon!
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Join us next Monday, 2 March, to hear Durham's Keerthi Vasishta present his paper, "Romantic Restoration: The Seventeenth Century in William Wordsworth's Politics and Poetry"! As always, join us at 6pm at 7 Owengate for some tea and biscuits before the talk begins! See you all there 😉
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
🎺 A brief reminder! 🎺 Our 20th annual conference is accepting proposals for papers! We invite abstracts of up to 300 words for papers from postgrads and early career researchers covering any time and many topics in the medieval and early modern periods. Applications close on 9 March!
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
🎺 We're opening applications for the last term of our biweekly seminar series!!! 🎺 Submit your abstract/proposal of no more than 250 words to our email, memsa.committee@durham.ac.uk, by Sunday 15th March. Check the post for further details! We can't wait to have you join us next term!
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
🎺 The next term talk is almost here!!! 🎺 Join us next Monday, 16 February, 6pm at 7 Owengate, to hear our own Mara Watling present her paper, "From Pastoral Counsel to Comedy: John of Wales' Communiloquium as a Hidden Source for Chaucer's Merchant's Tale"! We can't wait to see you all there 😉
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
🎺IT HATH ARRIVED!🎺 The official MEMSA stash drop is now available to buy! You have 7 days to get what you want before it disappears into the mystical Otherworlds once more… 🤭 redbirdapparel.co.uk/collections/...
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
And the last big news for the day... 👀 🎺 The official MEMSA stash drop will be releasing on 29 January! It will be open until 5 February, so you’ll have a week to snag any of the goodies you want from Redbird Apparel! 🎺 Keep an eye on our Insta for the link when it opens!
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Do you enjoy acting, directing, or watching theatre? Are you a Shakespeare enjoyer? Would you be interested in a 24 Hour Shakespeare challenge? 👀 🎺 Fill out the interest check form below! 🎺 Link here: forms.office.com/e/Uiq8r2ia6v
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
🎺 The MEMSA blog is accepting submissions! 🎺 Are you interested in writing for the MEMSA blog? Whether you want to snag the chance to put your name on a seasonal post or you have an idea all your own, fill in this form to propose an article to the team! Link here: shorturl.at/9wEZg
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
🎺 Santiago García Sosa from Leiden University will joining us on 2 February to present on Queenship, Conduct, Counsel, and the Restoration of Order in Martín de Córdoba's Jardin de nobles doncellas! Mark your calendars for 6pm, 7 Owengate! 🎺 (And we have more news coming today too... 👀)
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
🎺 Don't miss our FIRST TALK OF TERM, coming this Monday, where Davide Salmoiraghi from the University of Cambridge will be presenting on 'The best knight that ever was': The Old Norse Lives of Hector of Troy! Remember to come by 7 Owengate at 6pm so you don't miss out on the action! 🎺
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
🎺 Are you interested in exploring Connections, Conversation, Contention: Encounters in the Medieval and Early Modern World? Then consider submitting a paper to the 20th annual conference, taking place 13 and 14 July 2026 at St John’s College, Durham University!
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Anyone feeling like a pub night? 👀 Come join us for some drinks and a good chat at the Swan and Three Signets on Monday 12 January, 7pm, to celebrate the start of epiphany term!!! We hope to see you there 😉
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
🎺 We have some more big news: our 20th ANNUAL CONFERENCE THEME! We are proud to present Connection, Conversation, Contention: Encounters in the Medieval and Early Modern World, coming on 13 and 14 July, 2026!🎺 Keep an eye out for more information on how to get involved in the coming days....👀
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
Though we suppose we can give you one extra teaser today 😉 🎺 THE OFFICIAL EPIPHANY TERM CARD IS HERE!!! 🎺 As always, all of our term talks will take place on alternating Mondays, 6pm at 7 Owengate on Palace Green. We can't wait to see you there!
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
Exciting things are happening this term... 👀 Welcome to our updated socials! Keep an eye out for some big announcements this week and as we head into 2026! 🎺
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
We are VERY excited to announce the MEMSA blog is BACK!!! 🎺 Our first post for this year is an interview with tonight’s speaker, Eugenia Vorobeva! Come along later to see her presentation, and take a look now to hear about her in advance!! Link: durhammemsa.wordpress.com/2025/12/08/i...
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
🎺 HEAR YE, HEAR YE! MEMSA and Castle MCR have teamed up for a Christmas movie night! 🎺 Join us on Monday 15 December in Castle’s MCR for David Lowery's The Green Knight! Hot chocolate will be provided, so you only need to bring yourself and maybe a snack 😉 See you there!!!
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
Our final talk of term will be next Monday, 8 December, featuring Eugenia Vorobeva from the University of Oxford! She will be presenting her paper, "Devil in the Detail: Language and Laughter in the Passio Domini Homily." Come along to 7 Owengate at 6pm to see her presentation! ✨
Devil in the Detail: Language and Laughter in the Passio Domini Homily Eugenia Vorobeva - University of Oxford This paper takes as its starting point a passage from the vernacular Passio domini homily preserved in the Icelandic Homily Book (c.1200). The passage in question describes the horrors from which Christ delivers his people; following other things, he finally delivers the human race ‘from the devices and laughter of the devil’ (fra velom oc hlatre diofolsens). The passage is artfully crafted: it is alliterative, it is rhythmical, the combination of its style and substance can be seen as forcing the audience into the into the drama of salvation and the significance of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The devil’s laughter, being the final item on the list, seems to be of a special significance; however, this topos is rather rare in the corpus of Old Norse religious literature. This paper considers the topos of the devil’s laughter within Old Norse religious texts by considering a number of instances of its use and tracing its origins to the Latin sources. While medieval theologians use a range of various words to indicate different types of laughter, Old Norse tends to translate all of them with the verb hlæja which, in its turn, has a number of connotation within the corpus. By further examining the link between the devil’s laughter, its vocabulary, and its stylistic devices in connection to broader the contemporary literary context, this paper addresses the intricate interplay between emotion, style, and theology in vernacular prose writings of medieval Iceland. 6pm Monday 8 December
7 Owengate on Palace Green
Everyone Welcome!
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Our fourth talk of Michaelmas term will be on Monday 24 November, featuring a presentation by Alastair Forbes, Durham alumni+independent scholar! He will be discussing "The Vision of Boso and Moral Soundscapes in Simeon of Durham's Libellus de exordio." Come to 7 Owengate at 6pm to hear his paper! ✨
The Vision of Boso and Moral Soundscapes in Simeon of Durham’s Libellus de exordio Alastair Forbes - Independent Scholar 6pm Monday 24 November 7 Owengate on Palace Green Everyone Welcome! Among the sensory concerns within the medieval monastery, it was arguably sound with which monks were most concerned. The monastic day was governed by sounds such as the tolling of bells and communal prayer, as well as carefully regulated silences. When monastic writers commentated on the Christian otherworlds of heaven and hell, therefore, they did so with an understanding of the moral implications of silence and harmony versus noise and discord. This paper introduces moral soundscapes through one vision of these otherworlds recounted by Simeon of Durham (d.c.1128). The vision, attributed to a certain knight called Boso, differentiated between the solemn chanting of monks processing towards salvation and the clashing arms of warriors doomed to eternal death. Simeon utilized a sonic distinction to demonstrate the privileged place of the monastic vocation among their worldly contemporaries. For Simeon, Boso’s vision worked within a broader monastic understanding of the moral frameworks of Christian otherworlds to depict the “good” and the “bad” which would be easily recognisable to the lived experiences of his fellow monks, and confirmed their closeness to what Jeffrey Burton Russell called the ‘singing silence’ of heaven. This paper contributes to recent scholarship that seeks to decentre the importance of sight over the other senses in medieval thought. It demonstrates how unravelling experiences and presentations of sound can add an additional dimension to understanding contemporary conceptualisations. In particular, it highlights the ways in which sound could be presented and manipulated to influence monastic identities in the Central Middle Ages.
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
Our next talk of term will be on Monday 10 November, featuring a presentation by Ido Kons from the University of Cambridge! He will be discussing "Manuscript Transmission and the Spread of Learning in Late Anglo-Saxon England, c. 950-1066." Come along to 7 Owengate at 6pm to hear his paper! ✨
Manuscript Transmission and the Spread of Learning in Late Anglo-Saxon England, c.950-1066 Ido Kons - University of Cambridge 6pm Monday 10 November 7 Owengate on Palace Green Everyone Welcome! The late Anglo-Saxon period (c.950-1066) is renowned as a golden age of learning, in which manuscript production, art, and scholarship reached heights not seen since the age of Bede. It also witnessed the rise of an impressively ornate style of Latin composition, commonly known as the ‘hermeneutic style’. Traditionally, this intellectual revival was seen as a result of the Benedictine Reform movement, which saw the reestablishment of monasteries cross England; it is now generally recognised that these developments postdate the reform, having roots in the reigns of King Alfred the Great (871-899) and his grandson Æthelstan (924-39), and the court school they established and maintained. This intellectual circle produced masterful works of art, such as the illumination of Æthelstan presenting a book to St Cuthbert in Cambridge, Corpus Christi College 183, which was gifted to Durham. This paper will explore the late Anglo-Saxon intellectual revival by analysing the important underlying process making it possible—manuscript transmission. Important manuscripts were carried from Æthelstan’s intellectual circle to the productive scriptoria at Canterbury, through which their texts were propagated to the rest of England, as far north as Durham, as far east as the Fenlands and as far west as Worcester. I will demonstrate that these, among others, formed the core of the emerging late Anglo-Saxon monastic curriculum. By analysing manuscript transmission, I will argue, we can see the ways in which knowledge was formulated, exchanged and received across institutions in this formative period in the history of the British Isles.
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
🎺 HEAR YE, HEAR YE! 🎺 We are proud to announce the official MEMSA seminar series term card for this autumn! Make sure to put the dates in your calendar so you don't miss our amazing speakers! We can't wait to see you there!
Mondays 6pm at 7 Owengate Monday 13 October
Isaiah Silvers (Durham University)
Auxilios: "Reform" and "Aid" in the Hospital Institutions of New Spain, c. 1730-1770
Monday 27 October
Lottie Thompson (Durham University)
Medieval Durham and the Ancient World: Lawrence of Durham’s Dialogi and Virgil’s Eclogues and Georgics.
Monday 24 November
Alastair Forbes (Independent Scholar)
The Vision of Boso and Moral Soundscapes in Simeon of Durham's Libellus de exordio
Monday 10 November
Ido Kons (University of Cambridge)
Manuscript Transmission and the Spread of Learning in Late Anglo-Saxon England, c.950-1066
Monday 8 December
Eugenia Vorobeva (University of Oxford)
Devil in the Detail: Language and Laughter in the Passio Domini Homily
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
Our next talk of term will be from our other co-chair from last year, the amazing Lottie Thompson! She will be presenting on "Medieval Durham and the Ancient World: Lawrence of Durham’s Dialogi and Virgil’s Eclogues and Georgics." See her talk on Monday, 27 October at 6p, 7 Owengate! See you there!
Medieval Durham and the Ancient World: Lawrence of Durham’s Dialogi and Virgil’s Eclogues and Georgics. ‘If it is the rocks, if it is the beasts, if it is the other things of this vast grove that you wish to know, what Virgil could sing of so much?’  Lawrence of Durham (d. 1154) was an Anglo-Latin poet and monk living in Durham in the first half of the twelfth century. In his day Lawrence’s writing was widely circulated, but unfortunately this popularity did not stand the test of time and today he is very little known. This paper will introduce you to the works and world of this major regional author more generally, before focusing on one of Lawrence’s poems, the Dialogi – a verse dialogue written around 1143. This paper will explore how Lawrence’s knowledge of both Virgil’s Eclogues and Georgics expressly shaped his writing on medieval Durham in this poem, particularly concerning his exploration of the topography of the city and the ongoing socio-political conflicts of the day. 6p Monday 27 October 7 Owengate on Palace Green Everyone Welcome!
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
Do you want to stay up to date on all things medieval and early modern at Durham? Join the weekly MEMSA email list! ✨ The manual URL is forms.office.com/e/KPARhd0Cmf (Also I'm an AI anti but the ✨ emoji was mine first, sue me—)
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
Do YOU want to be on the MEMSA exec? ✨ We're looking for two community course convenors this year! If you're interested in getting involved, send an email to memsa.committe@durham.ac.uk by Friday, 24th October! We look forward to having you join us! 💕
Durham University’s Medieval and Early Modern Student Association (MEMSA) is an interdisciplinary student-run association attended by postgraduate students in the faculties of English, History, Archaeology, MLAC, Art History, and more. We are currently looking for expressions of interest from all postgraduate students who may wish to join the MEMSA Committee for the current 2025/26 academic year.

The MEMSA Community Course: Taking place during the spring/Easter term, the MEMSA Community Course involves eight evening sessions and brings together researchers and the local community. Courses tend to run for two hours, with each session run by a different tutor. While usually the class will take a lecture/seminar format, this is flexible; creativity and collaboration are encouraged, and a call for tutors will be sent out later in the academic year.

Community Course Convenors: The community course convenors are responsible for organising the above course, including choosing the theme, applying for funding, advertising for speakers, and compiling the final programme. This position is usually shared between two people, so you can apply individually or as a pair.

If you are interested in applying, or if you have any questions, please email
memsa.committee@durham.ac.uk
with a brief statement about your interest and how you think you could contribute to the role. No CV is required, and we welcome applications from all Durham medieval and early modern enthusiasts, regardless of previous experience. Any new committee member will be supported in the transition to their new role by the outgoing and continuing committee members.

DEADLINE: Friday 24th October
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
Our first talk of this year's Michaelmas term will be delivered by one of the MEMSA chairs from last year, Isaiah Silvers! He will be discussing 'Auxilios: "Reform" and "Aid" in the Hospital Institutions of New Spain, c. 1730-1770'. Hope to see you all on Monday 13th October at 6pm!
Auxilios: ‘Reform’ and ‘Aid’ in the Hospital Institutions of New Spain, c. 1730-1770 Isaiah Silvers - Durham University 6p Monday 13 October 7 Owengate on Palace Green Everyone Welcome!         In the midst of the reformist atmosphere of the mid-eighteenth-century Spanish Empire a significant part of the administration of the vast viceroyalty of New Spain involved the management of an extensive system of hospital institutions. These included foundling homes, lazarettos, almshouses, and multi-purpose casas de misericordia. This paper investigates how metropolitan ideologies of reform were transmitted and transformed by colonial officials and hospital administrators in New Spain. Through this inquiry, I will propose some alternative models to the received narrative of church-crown competition. Principally, I will suggest that new poor relief practices of this period in New Spain, proceeding through ad-hoc coalitions, contributed the growth of associational cultures among propertied criollos, who in turn deployed the voguish notions of ‘reform’ and ‘aid’ to promote mercantile liberalisation, defend chattel slavery, and enforce racial exclusions in the civic sphere.
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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
We will be holding our first social of the year at the oldest pub in Durham on Tuesday 7th October at 7pm. Everyone is welcome, whether you are studying the medieval or early modern period or just interested in it! Come along to meet some fellow postgrads and celebrate the new academic year!
We are excited to announce the first MEMSA social of the year will take place on Tuesday, 7th October at 7pm at the Dun Cow (Snug Bar), the oldest pub in Durham.

If you're new to MEMSA, we are Durham University's Medieval and Early Modern Student Association. MEMSA is an interdisciplinary association attended by postgraduate students in the departments of English, History, Archaeology, MLAC, Art History, and more.

Everyone is welcome at the social! Whether you are studying the medieval or early modern period yourself or are just interested in it, it’s a great chance to meet some other postgrads with similar interests at Durham! See you there!
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