Abstract

Who lived on the edge of the medieval world, and what lay at its centre? What journeys – real or imaginary – did medieval cartography enable? Starting from copies of actual medieval mappaemundi (world maps), we will explore a world that came before such modern ideas as nationalism or eurocentrism, and visit some of the weird and wonderful beings who populate its edges.

Biography: Jane Gilbert is Senior Lecturer in French at UCL . She is a specialist in medieval French and English literature, and in modern critical theory. She is especially interested in how the strange qualities and practices of the Middle Ages can throw light on the strangeness of today’s. For more information, email us at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com or call us on 01223 561 854.