Benjamin Scheller

Prof. Dr. Benjamin Scheller serves as Professor of Late Medieval and Early Modern History at the Historical Institute within the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Duisburg-Essen. His distinguished academic career spans over two decades, with significant contributions to medieval history, religious conversion studies, and risk cultures in pre-modern societies. Prior to his current position, he held appointments as Visiting Professor at the University of Vienna and conducted extensive research at Humboldt University of Berlin.

His academic credentials include:

• Doctorate from Humboldt University of Berlin (2002) on 'Memoria at the Turn of the Century. The Foundations of Jacob Fugger the Rich before and during the Reformation (c. 1505 to 1555)'
• Habilitation in Medieval History at Humboldt University of Berlin (2009) on 'The City of the New Christians. Converted Jews and their Descendants in Late Medieval Trani between Inclusion and Exclusion (1267 to 1514)'
• Master of Arts from Humboldt University of Berlin (1995)

Prof. Scheller's scholarly work centers on religious conversion in medieval Europe, with particular focus on converted Jews and their descendants in southern Italy. His research explores how these 'Cristiani Novelli' (New Christians) navigated complex social landscapes through mobility and strategic identity management. He has developed innovative frameworks for understanding historical ambiguity and distinction, examining how medieval societies managed religious uncertainty and social differentiation.

His extensive publication record reveals consistent expertise in analyzing how pre-modern societies conceptualized risk, contingency, and uncertainty. His groundbreaking work argues that the concept of 'risk' as a calculable entity emerged in the medieval Mediterranean world, particularly within maritime trade contexts. His scholarship connects historical analysis with contemporary theoretical concerns, as evidenced by his comparative pandemic analysis published during the Covid-19 crisis.

Among his notable achievements:

• Spokesperson of the DFG Research Group 2600 'Ambiguity and Distinction. Historical-Cultural Dynamics' (since 2018)
• Spokesperson (deputy) of the DFG Graduate School 1919 'Precaution, Foresight, Prediction: Coping with Contingency through Future Action' (since 2013)
• Recipient of the Feodor-Lynen Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
• Research Fellow at the Historical College in Munich

Prof. Scheller has secured substantial third-party funding for research projects and currently leads the DFG Research Group 2600, demonstrating his leadership in advancing interdisciplinary approaches to historical ambiguity. His current project 'The Sea of New Christians' examines how mobility enabled religious minorities to navigate ambiguous social statuses in the Adriatic region during the late Middle Ages, continuing his long-standing investigation into religious conversion and social integration in medieval Europe.