INTERNATIONAL POSTGRADUATE WORKSHOP ON MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE

The workshop addresses postgraduate students, who are preparing a thesis on any topic related to medieval church architecture between the 9th and 14th century. It aims to be a platform for the discussion of individual research projects and current results. The circle of participants is intended to include art historians and building researchers as well as theologians, historians, archeologists
and architects, in order to enable an interdisciplinary exchange.

At present, new research on medieval church architecture is hardly imaginable without an interdisciplinary approach. In recent years, a multitude of new technological resources were made useful for building research and an increasing number of new methodologies, especially concerning questions of liturgy and spatial use, came to the center of attention - all leading to a wide range of new discoveries. Even if the importance of including diverse approaches has long been recognized, an according platform for young researchers dealing with medieval churches has not been established yet. In consequence, this workshop wants to create a possibility for a free, institutionally independent discourse on current issues of the individual research, in which all participants will contribute their own experience. In addition to the evaluation of research contents, enough space will be given to discuss matter of organization and future career possibilities.

The workshop, which will take place from 04th till 08th of June 2015, is laid-out for the participation of up to fifteen postgraduate students, who will present their PhD projects – or new results, specific questions from these – for discussion. As the workshop is generally open to all interested researchers on postgraduate level, applications in German or English are possible and welcome.

Applications should comprise of a short curriculum vitae and an abstract/paper proposal including the following:

  • PhD topic, a short summary of the main research question, applied methodology
  • supervisor and scheduled deadline for the completion
  • current progress and issues to be presented/ discussed during the workshop

In order to prepare a fruitful exchange of ideas, all participants will receive the abstracts of the other contributions before the workshop. The final program will be fixed, as soon as the participants are selected. Each contributor will dispose of one hour of time, which can be allocated to the presentation of the topic and the subsequent discussion at his/her own discretion.

Thanks to the generous support of the Elisabeth and Helmut Uhl Foundation, the workshop will be held at their conference house Buchnerhof. The estate is located in the mountains of Alto-Adige/Südtirol, 50 minutes walking distance from Leifers in the Etsch valley. The foundation will organize a transport of the luggage from the train station in Leifers and ensures the highest possible independence of the event through covering the expenses of accommodation and meals. 

The organizers will be glad to support participants in organizing their journey (e.g. through carsharing). Travel grants will presumably be available. After the workshop, a field-trip of several day´s duration to the medieval churches of the surroundings (Etsch valley, Vinschgau) is intended, during which the discussion and exchange can be continued and intensified. Expenses for this field trip will have to be covered by the participants and will amount to approx. 35 € per night. Applicants are kindly asked to state in their application, if interested in participating in the field-trip.

Applications should be sent to: mittelalterliche-Sakralarchitektur[at]web.de