Almut Suerbaum

Professor Almut Suerbaum is an Associate Professor in German and Fellow of Somerville College at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on medieval culture, particularly intercultural exchanges, the transformation of scholastic knowledge into lived experience, and the intersection of pre-modern thought with contemporary questions. She co-founded the Somerville Medieval Research Group and leads interdisciplinary projects like the fifth initiative on 'Post-Human Approaches to Pre-Modern Culture.' Her academic career includes visiting professorships at Freiburg, Fribourg, Munich, and Tübingen universities. Recognized for her scholarly contributions, she is a corresponding fellow of the Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen.

In teaching, she emphasizes Oxford's tutorial system, mentoring students in German studies and guiding their year abroad. Her lectures in the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages cover medieval literature through modern lenses. She supervises doctoral research on topics ranging from medieval historical narratives to cross-cultural links between German and Yiddish literature. Her publications span edited volumes, monographs, and essays on religious lyrics, mysticism, and medieval gender studies.

• Key Awards: Fellow of Somerville College, Corresponding Fellow of Göttingen Academy
• Editorial Work: Co-editor of Openness in Medieval Europe (2022) and Medieval Temporalities (2021)
• Public Engagement: Advised on medieval cultural aspects for film projects and BBC's In Our Time

Her research integrates interdisciplinary methods, emphasizing collaboration and international networks to advance humanities scholarship. Current projects explore post-human perspectives in pre-modern studies, reflecting her commitment to innovative scholarly approaches.