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Dr. Chris White Writes

@chriswhitewrites.bsky.social

PhD in Medieval Weirdness - ghosts, werewolves (and werecats!), things that go bump in the night. Tokyo raised. Husband, father. Certified human. Terrible at origami.

244 Followers  |  62 Following  |  26 Posts  |  Joined: 03.07.2023
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Posts by Dr. Chris White Writes (@chriswhitewrites.bsky.social)

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John Bannerman Lecture 2026 - Professor Fiona Edmonds | School of History, Classics & Archaeology | History Classics and Archaeology 'Dรกl Riata and Northumbria, c. 700โ€’1000: Connections and comparisons'. Hybrid.

Hybrid lecture by Prof Edmonds hca.ed.ac.uk/john-bannerm...

03.02.2026 12:17 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 17    ๐Ÿ” 8    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
An article by Ilaria Briata, on Late Antique Rabbinic and Monastic Literature, using the same Dune quote as its title.

An article by Ilaria Briata, on Late Antique Rabbinic and Monastic Literature, using the same Dune quote as its title.

Me: "Ok, so I'm writing something about how monastics sought the 'desert' and how that sense of isolation was contrasted to their earlier lives...a Dune quote would make for an interesting title!"

An article published less than two months ago:

18.12.2025 21:07 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Black text on a white background, reading:

Today, the best-known example of human animal transformation is the werewolf. The symbolic meaning of the werewolf  in modern Western culture can vary - but they are primary used to summon three emotional reactions, all beginning with F: fright, as in horror movies; fun, as in Teen Wolf(1985); or reproduction| as is the trend in contemporary "romantasy" novels.

Black text on a white background, reading: Today, the best-known example of human animal transformation is the werewolf. The symbolic meaning of the werewolf in modern Western culture can vary - but they are primary used to summon three emotional reactions, all beginning with F: fright, as in horror movies; fun, as in Teen Wolf(1985); or reproduction| as is the trend in contemporary "romantasy" novels.

Excerpt from a paper in currently finishing up:

18.09.2025 21:35 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

There are still so many interesting sessions at @imc-leeds.bsky.social looking for papers!

This one might be of interest to our members, but also to readers of journals like @postmedieval.bsky.social or @arthurianajrnl.bsky.social.

What other Leeds IMC Calls for Papers are still open?

18.09.2025 01:06 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The ghosts of our ancestors: Reading religious anxieties in the ghost stories of Thietmar of Merseburg

My latest paper has been published, in @jaema.bsky.social!

"The ghosts of our ancestors: Reading religious anxieties in the ghost stories of Thietmar of Merseburg"

Examining 11th century ghost stories and worries about saintly relics and ancestral disbelief.

search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/...

12.09.2025 05:13 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The 28 Days Later franchise redefined zombie films. But the undead have an old, rich and varied history Long before zombies were stars on the big screen, they roamed medieval Europe.

And I wrote a short piece about medieval revenants and 28 Years Later for @aunz.theconversation.com, which has just gone up: theconversation.com/the-28-days-...

19.06.2025 06:35 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I was invited to a preview screening of @28yearslater.bsky.social last night, and now that the review embargo has lifted I can say that the film leans heavily on the medieval period, from scenes of children training with bows to ossuaries, momento mori, churches as sites of sanctuary, wild men...

18.06.2025 23:39 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
A poster advertising my talk on Ethiopian demons, "Black Skin, Black Sin"

A poster advertising my talk on Ethiopian demons, "Black Skin, Black Sin"

I will be speaking (online) at @bodiesandbeing.bsky.social, on the 5th/6th of June, talking about two "Ethiopian" demons in Orderic Vitalis's Historia ecclesiastica:

21.05.2025 01:39 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 5    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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04.04.2025 02:26 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The submissions deadline for the first issue of the Australian Early Medieval Association is rapidly approaching - papers need to be submitted by April 30 to be considered for the first issue!

See our website for more details: aema.org.au/journal/

15.03.2025 09:44 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 12    ๐Ÿ” 5    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

No massacres, as far as I'm aware.

20.03.2025 02:11 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I wrote about this a bit in my thesis (and in an article I'm currently in the weeds of revision on) and there are actually quite a few condemnations of cats! Documents like Vox in Rama or Hildegard of Bingen's de animalibus, amongst others.

They could be both good and bad, symbolically.

20.03.2025 02:11 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Don't forget to get your abstracts in for our ghost conference! We will have two keynotes: Prof. Sasha Handley (Manchester) and Dr. Shane McCorristine (Newcastle). It's going to be spooktacular!

02.12.2024 22:30 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 26    ๐Ÿ” 19    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

๐Ÿ’ฏ

It's so great when they remember what you tell them!

03.12.2024 01:12 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
A screenshot of anonymised student feedback, which reads "He studies werewolves and is cool"

A screenshot of anonymised student feedback, which reads "He studies werewolves and is cool"

Time to pack up and quit offering student surveys everyone, I win:

03.12.2024 00:15 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 5    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I should be looking for ECR work. Instead I have written half an article about the Ossorian werewolves, and half a sample chapter for my monograph pitch.

22.11.2024 06:06 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
A version of our logo, which features a stylised medieval bird looking back over itself, in white rather than our usual green, on a background of a blue sky with whispy clouds

A version of our logo, which features a stylised medieval bird looking back over itself, in white rather than our usual green, on a background of a blue sky with whispy clouds

So, #medievalsky, what medieval history journals are already over here?

We've got us, obviously. And I know that @parergon.bsky.social and @postmedieval.bsky.social are here.

Who else? Let's get a list together!

17.11.2024 07:48 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 13    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

#AcademicSky, #medievalsky let's get to know each other! Quote this & tell me: 1) a project you are working on & 2) an odd idea/theory you aren't working on but keep thinking about.

1) Looking for ECR work/an article identifying Herlechin of the mesne Herlechin

2)early medieval identities

16.11.2024 20:03 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Good news, bluskies! Weโ€™ve extended the deadline for chapter proposals for the medieval volume of the Cultural History of Trans Lives! You have until Nov 20th to submit something. Take a look!

23.10.2023 16:20 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 31    ๐Ÿ” 25    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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You are not, in fact, the granddaughter of the witches they couldnโ€™t burn Say you are me (sorry about that) and you are minding your own business online, just trying to survive in a world of unrelenting horror when suddenly you are served an ad. ย Because of the dark magic ...

Hey I wrote something on the blog about that twee witch merch, historical inaccuracy, and the horrors of capitalist profiting off forgotten victims. You know, a little Friday treat!
going-medieval.com/2023/10/20/y...

20.10.2023 12:40 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 515    ๐Ÿ” 191    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 40    ๐Ÿ“Œ 19

Can any medieval emotions historians (or any other medievalists) point me in the direction of scholarship on emotional connections between clerical and lay brothers in the 10th-11th century Latin West? I know there was encouragement to seperate from one's family, but also know that was an ideal

20.10.2023 08:25 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Have booked flights to head down to Melbourne for a medieval manuscripts masterclass, run by @megancw.bsky.social - in a little under two weeks! Very much looking forward to it.

20.10.2023 05:15 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I've always like the idea of some Norman bloke saying "Oh, I was with Henno - come on, you know Henno...with the teeth!"

05.10.2023 20:51 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Did Henno have weird teeth, or really nice ones?

05.10.2023 20:16 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

More tree snakes yesterday, they give me the willies but they are beautiful creatures. Both much bigger than this little one

05.10.2023 20:14 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Conferences โ€“ Gender and Medieval Studies

Save the date for the 2024 Gender and Medieval Studies conference: 26-28 June 2024 (note the new summer date). C4P and more info to come soon!

medievalgender.co.uk/conferences/

#MedievalSky #AcademicSky ๐Ÿ—ƒ๏ธ

05.10.2023 16:56 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 35    ๐Ÿ” 21    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Visualise Your Thesis 2023 -  Chris White - Normalising the Non-Mundane: Didactic Messages in ...
Entry in the 2023 Visualise Your Thesis competition at The University of Queensland - "Normalising the Non-Mundane: Didactic Messages in Medieval Latin Wonde... Visualise Your Thesis 2023 - Chris White - Normalising the Non-Mundane: Didactic Messages in ...

Realised I hadn't posted my Fresh Prince of Bel-Air medieval cover here, telling the story of "The French Ghost of Beaucaire", a ghost story from the Otia Imperialism: youtu.be/icyFDmhSQSU?...

03.10.2023 05:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

MEMS at ACU is still providing wonderful opportunities, this time in partnership with Monash, UWA, ANU & Sydney! Two day Masterclass on medieval/early modern sources for HDR/ECRs. Apps due Oct 15 - info below ๐Ÿ‘‡

02.10.2023 02:15 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 7    ๐Ÿ” 5    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

#medievaltwitter #twitterstorians blanked on my Leeds RT proposal โ€” forgot that we needed participants lined up ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ
Iโ€™m proposing a RT on teaching medieval history post-COVID. Is anyone interested? Esp looking for faculty outside US, UK, EU. Please circulate, DM w/ interest!

30.09.2023 19:25 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 5    ๐Ÿ” 13    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
rsa.org

Call for papers on minorities (broadly conceived) in medieval & early modern sciences. Conference is in Warsaw, 25-26 January 2024, proposal deadline October 15; travel & hotel expenses covered for accepted presenters. #histsci #medievalsky #earlymodern www.rsa.org/news/news.as...

29.09.2023 17:09 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 11    ๐Ÿ” 15    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0