Workshop: Categories in Question. Intersectionality and Medieval Societies

Call for Participation
Workshop: Categories in Question. Intersectionality and Medieval Societies
Friday, 27 November 2026, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday, 28 November 2026, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
University of Bayreuth, Room K3, RW I
Organized by Kristin Skottki (Bayreuth), Rike Szill (Tübingen), Anja Rathmann-Lutz (Erfurt), and Isabelle Schürch (Vienna).

Approximately ten medievalist scholars from outside Bayreuth will join the organizers for this workshop, exchanging ideas with Bayreuth's master's students, doctoral candidates, early-career and established scholars on the many manifestations of intersectionality in global medieval/premodern societies (ca. 500 – 1500 CE).
The discussion will focus on three main strands:

  *   Opportunities for participation in premodern societies
  *   A power-critical discussion of categories — especially those beyond the classical triad, such as dis/ability, religion, and education/voice/skill
  *   The relationship between social practices and their representation in premodern texts and sources — and the hermeneutic challenges this raises
Short inputs are welcome, though the workshop's emphasis lies on collective discussion rather than formal papers.
All interested members of the University of Bayreuth — from any status group and any faculty — are warmly invited to take part.
Please register by 15 October 2026 at https://dud-poll.inf.tu-dresden.de/UhgwoRpGtg/ , indicating whether you would like to join as a discussant or with your own short contribution. Within 14 days of registering, we will send a small number of preparatory materials and more info on the exact formats.
We look forward to your participation!