Research Conversations Hilary Term 2019

The third Research Conversations of the academic year, organised by Professor Martin Goodman, will take place on Monday 4 February from 1pm in the Spalding Room.

Professor Dirk Meyer will be in conversation with Professor Ulrike Roesler about his research on the traditions that inform the canonical Shangshu (Venerated Scriptures), a collection of archaic texts edited in the early Imperial era. Working from unearthed manuscript texts from the fourth century BC which have significant overlap with the Shangshu and other later texts, this research reveals a dynamic tradition of “Shu” (Scriptures) that was exploited by contrasting conceptual communities for sociophilosophical ends. As manuscript cultures were maturing, information flows increased and the “Shu” developed into a new genre of argumentation. The research conversation will examine the textual strategies employed by these communities to move old cultural capital into contemporaneous problem spaces.

Dr David Zakarian will be in conversation with Dr Laurence Mann about his project of translating and researching medieval Armenian colophons from the long fifteenth century. Scholars have noted the significance of these colophons as primary sources for the study of medieval history of the Caucasus, Anatolia, and the Middle East, but the colophons still remain relatively neglected due to the absence of comprehensive scholarly translations from Classical and Middle Armenian to major European languages. This research conversation will explore different avenues of research that the Armenian colophons may provide and will outline some of the methodological approaches used for their study.

Tea and coffee will be available, and you are welcome to bring your own lunch. All are welcome to attend.