Roland Ludger Scheel

Roland Ludger Scheel is a Professor of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Münster, leading research on medieval Scandinavian historiography, saga literature, and cultural transfer. He holds a doctorate from Goethe University Frankfurt (2014) and has held academic positions at Göttingen and other institutions. His research focuses on the intersection of law, narrative, and cultural exchange, particularly Byzantine-Scandinavian relations and the construction of medieval identities.

Education:

• Doctorate: 'Scandinavia and Byzantium: Conditions and Consequences of Medieval Cultural Relations' (2014)
• M.A. in Medieval and Modern History and Scandinavian Studies, University of Frankfurt (2008)
• Studies at University of Copenhagen (2007–2008)

Research Interests:

• Medieval Scandinavian legal and literary narratives
• Cultural entanglements between Scandinavia, Byzantium, and Western Europe
• Historical semantics and the construction of identity in sagas
• The concept of 'Vikings' in modern historiography

Key Contributions: Scheel's work bridges legal theory and literary analysis, emphasizing how medieval texts mediated cultural and legal concepts. His recent studies explore the role of objects (e.g., relics, manuscripts) in shaping Scandinavian narratives.

Awards:

• 2015 Dissertationspreis (Frankfurt)
• 2015 Barbara und Piergiuseppe Scardigli-Preis (Frankfurt)
• 2009 Examenspreis (Frankfurt)

Advising & Grants: Supervised doctoral theses on topics like 'Paganisations' and medieval legal narratives. Involved in the Cluster of Excellence on transcultural entanglements.

Labs/Teams: Active in the University of Münster's Graduate School and collaborates on digital humanities projects, including the Blumenberg Professorship initiatives.