The Centre for Medieval Studies aims to create a scientific environment for the exchange of knowledge and discussions of methods and theories, and to an extent that it is attractive for external researchers to be involved in the centre. The activities of the centre include symposia, seminars and research courses led by researchers from all of Scandinavia and further afield. Activities are constantly developed through targeted projects implemented by separate researchers or groups of researchers in cooperation. The centre regularly collaborates with several institutions in Sweden and abroad to develop new courses on master and PhD level.
The centre brings together researchers of the Middle Ages working within many different disciplines and also institutions from outside of the university: archaeology, economic history, philosophy, history, art history, human geography, quaternary science, literature, musicology, physical geography, numismatics, history of religions, theatre studies, and a number of languages such as French, Greek, Italian, Latin, Scandinavian languages and German. The focus of research is Europe and the relationship of Sweden/Scandinavia to Europe, but connections with other cultural areas are also considered.
The researchers and PhD students are also particularly active nationally and internationally within research policy institutions, editorial committees, research exchanges and actively participate in the development of joint research projects.
Since its founding in 2008, the centre has received economic support from Marcus Wallenberg Foundation for International Scientific Collaboration, Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation, Torsten Söderberg Foundation, Ragnar Söderberg Foundation, The Swedish Research Council, Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation, Åke Winberg Foundation and the faculty of humanities at Stockholm University.
Medieval research: then, now and ahead
The interdisciplinary medieval research in Stockholm started during the 1960s when seminars were held with participants from the disciplines of archaeology, history, art history and human geography At the beginning of the 1970s representatives from different language subjects primarily Scandinavian languages and Latin, joined. At this early stage, close cooperation with the capitals learned institution was fostered. There had been an extensive accumulation of knowledge pertinent to the study of the Middle Ages which had taken place at the national archive (Diplomatarium Suecanum, Medieval Sweden DMS, Medieval Book Fragments MPO), The Swedish National Heritage Board (the Ancient Monument Inventory, the Churches of Sweden, The Medieval Town) National Library of Sweden (the Manuscript Department) and The Swedish Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration Authority.
The cooperation was formalised with the formation of the centre in 2008. Researchers work with diverse subjects within the medieval field. For example, topics include the vocabulary of the old languages, theories of the objectives and means of politics, use of images and artefacts, the colloquial language of 15th century Stockholm, the view of literary fiction, liturgical poetry, translation between different languages, theories of scientific aims, ideological messages of chronicles, the relationship between the spoken and written word, monastic discipline, satire critical of religion, patronage of art, functions of buildings, the composition of manuscripts and resources of the cultural landscape and their use.
The centre of Medieval studies is in a unique position for further development. Stockholm University is the largest in Scandinavia and the centre is the largest of its kind in Scandinavia, measured in the number of researchers and subjects. During the years it has developed frequent and continuous collaborations with a wide range of different universities. For international medieval research, Sweden and Scandinavia is of particular interest because of their geographical position and late Christianising can constitute an important test case in comparative discussions of centre and periphery in the development of culture
