jump to navigation

Some thoughts on receiving book reviews November 7, 2009

Posted by gesta in Academia, Boundaries, Debate.
Tags: ,
add a comment

In 2007, my first book was published, just in time for the RAE circus. At the time, I was just glad to get rid of  it. I felt, at best, ambivalent to the work contained therein, and at worst, that it was all useless. At one level, I really didn’t care what people thought of it because it was my book and, in moments of clearer thinking, I thought I had achieved what I set out do do, at least in part. At a deeper level was the anxiety – what if someone really important totally pans it? What do I do?

(more…)

Papers in the offing November 5, 2009

Posted by gesta in Academia, Medieval.
Tags: , , , ,
add a comment

Both Reivers and I have been quiet on the blogging front of late as we have moved house. I, at least, have now become a person who gets excited about cookers – it must be middle age creeping up. In amongst all the chaos of moving, proposals for papers and books that I put in with great hope, partial hope and no hope at all, seem to have come back with positive responses, or at least noises which suggest future acceptance. So, for a change, a post on research (yay)!

(more…)

‘Bad’ history October 16, 2009

Posted by gesta in Academia, Debate.
Tags:
add a comment

No sooner do I launch an incoherent post on ‘impact’ (which in itself illustrates the dangers of such woolly concepts) on an unsuspecting world, than the Times Higher features a lengthy article on Bad History, starring Miri Rubin and Jonathan Phillips amongst some modernists. Although the article isn’t explicitly about impact, historians looking for a crumb of comfort in these vicissitudinous times may be relieved that some people haven’t lost the plot entirely.

(more…)

Impact October 15, 2009

Posted by gesta in Academia, Boundaries, Debate.
Tags: , ,
add a comment

If you keep up with the Higher Education pages in the UK newspapers, you will know that there has been a great deal of comment on  a mysterious entity called ‘impact’ lately. Impact is the latest government and research council buzz word for why our research must have some definable economic or social goal: where is the next technological gadget or government initiative coming from in otherwords. Impact will also replace esteem in the REF, which in itself, replaces the RAE, except with a bigger percentage (more…)

In praise of teaching September 19, 2009

Posted by gesta in Academia, Debate.
Tags: ,
add a comment

There has recently been a series of articles in the Times Higher and in other places reflecting, bemoaning and sometimes downright scaring on the state of higher education and universities in the UK. At the core of these debates is the question of what are our universities for? Are the people who comprise the faculty an elite squad of researchers who happen to pass on the benefits of their expertise to students in their spare time? Are they teaching, or, rather, instructing machines? And that’s before we even get to the admin.

(more…)

IMC 2010: Medieval Routes September 9, 2009

Posted by gesta in Medieval.
Tags: , , ,
add a comment

I am involved in organising some sessions for next year’s Leeds based on different medieval routes. We have a couple of gaps in various sessions, so if anyone has anything to say about the following please get in touch:

  • German roads, routes and itineraries, particularly if these relate to palaces or the military orders
  • Pilgrimage routes around the Mediterranean
  • The Silk Road

We are particularly interested in papers that explore experience of routes from a narrative, archaeological or cartographic perspective. Please send proposals to Marianne O’Doherty as soon as possible. Thanks. Call for Papers

Permanency September 6, 2009

Posted by gesta in Academia.
Tags: ,
2 comments

I am in a very fortunate position: when asked that extremely rude question, second only to ‘when will you finish your thesis/book?’, when will you get a permanent job?, I can now blow a big, fat raspberry in the enquirer’s face. Yes, I am now permanent, back to part time, but nonetheless, here to stay! This has led to some rather odd experiences, not least of all people in a similar position and some postgrads asking me how I’ve achieved this. (more…)

Battle conference 2009 report August 20, 2009

Posted by gesta in Academia, Medieval.
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
4 comments

This year, the Battle conference was at Gregynog in Powys due to the closure of the usual venue of Pyke House. Although beer in the Chequers was sorely missed, the conference itself was very interesting and, once I’d got my paper out of the way, enjoyable. I’m afraid tales of the social scene will have to come from someone else, as I was far too exhausted to stay up this year. So, what of the papers?

(more…)

Looking ahead to Battle 2009 July 25, 2009

Posted by gesta in Boundaries, Debate, Medieval.
Tags: , , , , ,
1 comment so far

Next week sees my third, and hopefully final, conference of the summer – the Battle Conference on Anglo-Norman Studies 2009. Last year I commented on my experience of a past Battle and why I hadn’t been back to the conference for eight years. I also reported on what a good conference Battle 2008 turned out to be. This year, the conference will be in Gregynog (Powys) due to the closure of Pyke House. The observant among you will have noticed the slight change from my normal conference previews: I’m giving a paper this year and will no doubt look forward to the conference in retrospect! (more…)

IMC 2009 report July 19, 2009

Posted by gesta in Academia, Boundaries, Debate, Medieval.
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
7 comments

I’ve survived another Leeds (my 8th I believe) and thankfully, it was better than last year’s, both in terms of quality and weather. I still have some concerns about the over-use of case studies, but more of those later. I failed miserably to make it to either bloggers’ meeting due to double-booking myself and a successful round table: I’m sure Magistra et Mater and Jonathan Jarrett will update everyone on that score (the bloggers, not the roundtable). (more…)