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Textile Conservation Centre closure April 19, 2008

Posted by gesta in Academia, Uncategorized.
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I blogged about the closure of the Textile Conservation Centre in November. The deadline for signing the petition is fast approaching, so please, if you haven’t yet signed it and care about keeping this internationally important facility going, do so here.

A medievalist watches the television… April 19, 2008

Posted by gesta in Academia, Debate, Medieval.
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There is a favourite book of Reivers by John Allen Paulos called A mathematician reads the newspaper (Anchor, 1996) in which the author highlights the misuse of maths in everyday journalism and how to improve it. In the same vein, I get particularly irritated by the misuse of the word ‘medieval’ in reporting (particularly referring to anything in the Middle East), which is generally used to mean ‘bad’, ‘unenlightened’, ‘evil’, ‘barbaric’: I could go on. Recently though, the BBC has started a whole season devoted to the middle ages and things medieval in their proper sense. So, as I might ask my first years, are these programmes good journalism, good history or good entertainment? Or, is the best part the rather cool trailer and medieval Hendrix? (more…)

Back in the North: Hadrian’s Wall April 9, 2008

Posted by gesta in Boundaries, Medieval, Uncategorized.
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Looking east along the wall During the Easter break, I escaped the confines of the south of England and headed north. The North is where I grew up and while visiting friends and family, I took the opportunity to visit Hadrian’s Wall. I’d never been before, or at least, I don’t remember having been before. Given that this blog is allegedly about boundaries and what happens on them, this post is in the manner of a postcard from the limits of empire. (more…)