Nicholas Paul is a Professor of History and Director of the Center for Medieval Studies at Fordham University. His research focuses on medieval European history, particularly the Crusades, family memory, and cultural capital in medieval nobility. He has held a Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant (2019-2020) at the University of Birmingham, UK, conducting research on medieval history. His work examines topics such as Angevin dynasty narratives, material religion in crusader contexts, and the intersection of medieval memory with modern public perception. He has authored or edited books including The French of Outremer (2018) and To Follow in their Footsteps (2012), and contributes to academic journals like Traditio and Journal of Medieval History . Key Research Areas: Crusader societies, medieval family memory, cultural history of nobility, historiography of the medieval Mediterranean Grants/Awards: Fulbright U.S. Scholar Grant (2019-2020) Paul’s interdisciplinary approach bridges textual analysis, material culture, and memory studies. His current projects include exploring Angevin imperial contexts and the role of cultural capital in medieval warfare. He directs Fordham’s Center for Medieval Studies, fostering interdisciplinary medieval research and education.
Filippo Marsili, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of History at Saint Louis University’s College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on the cultural and political history of ancient China, the history of religion, and intercultural dynamics across ancient civilizations. He holds a Ph.D. (2011) and M.A. (2007) from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. (2000) from Università di Roma 'La Sapienza'. Education: Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 2011 M.A., University of California, Berkeley, 2007 B.A., Università di Roma 'La Sapienza', 2000 His research explores themes such as the role of religion in ancient Chinese empires, Greco-Roman historiography, and cross-cultural encounters. Notable works include Heaven is Empty: A Cross-Cultural Approach to Religion and Power in Ancient China (2018), which challenges Western-centric frameworks in analyzing non-Western religious systems. Dr. Marsili co-created and organizes the Matteo Ricci Speakers Series, focusing on intercultural exchanges between China and the West. His pedagogical work includes courses on East Asian history, historiography, and cultural studies. Recent publications span comparative religious methodologies, material culture analyses, and reviews of seminal works in Chinese intellectual history. His scholarship emphasizes critical, postcolonial approaches to understanding ancient cultural and religious systems.
Jon Vidar Sigurdsson is a Professor and Head of Department in the Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History at the University of Oslo, where he has served since September 2006 and assumed departmental leadership in January 2021. His distinguished career includes previous appointments as Associate Professor at both the University of Bergen (1991-1994) and the University of Oslo (1995 onwards), and Director of the Centre for Viking and Medieval Studies (2002-2004). His educational background features a BA in history and Icelandic literature from the University of Iceland (1984), a Cand. Philol from the University of Bergen (1987), and a PhD from the University of Bergen (1993). Prior to his academic career, he worked at the Directorate for Cultural Heritage in Bergen. Professor Sigurdsson's research focuses on Viking Age and Medieval Scandinavian societies, with particular expertise in political culture, Old Norse religion, Christianization processes, church history, saga literature, social structures, and gender studies. His current major project examines Nordic 'civil wars' in the High Middle Ages through cross-disciplinary and comparative analysis. His extensive publication record reveals consistent scholarly focus on Icelandic political structures, chieftaincy systems, and religious transformations, with recent work expanding into comparative civil war studies, saint cults, and medieval standardization processes. His research demonstrates methodological sophistication through interdisciplinary approaches that bridge historical analysis with archaeological, anthropological, and literary perspectives. Major scholarly contributions include 'Chieftains and Power in the Icelandic Commonwealth' (1999) 'Den vennlige vikingen. Vennskapets makt i Norge og på Island ca. 900-1300' (2010) Co-edited volumes including 'Medieval and Modern Civil Wars' (2021) Leadership of the 'Nordic Elites in Transformation' research series As department head, he oversees academic programs and research initiatives that position the department as a leading center for Nordic historical studies. His scholarly influence extends through numerous PhD supervisions, editorial board memberships, and international collaborations that have shaped contemporary understanding of medieval Scandinavian societies.
Christian Mauder is Professor of Islamic Studies at Freie Universität Berlin’s Institute of Islamic Studies, Department of History and Cultural Studies. His research focuses on premodern Islamic religious, intellectual, and social history, particularly the Mamluk Sultanate (1250–1517), Islamic court cultures, historical semantics, Arabophone Christianity, Christian-Muslim relations, and Quranic discourses. He has published extensively on Mamluk military education, legal riddles, Persian and Circassian ethnic identities, and Ottoman-Mamluk transitions, emphasizing transregional interconnectedness. PhD in Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Göttingen (2017) Postdoctoral research at Yale, Princeton, NYU Abu Dhabi, and University of Bonn Associate Professor at University of Bergen (2018–2023) Mauder’s scholarly work bridges Islamic history and cultural studies, exploring how concepts like mujaddid (renewer) shaped religious authority. His publications include monographs on Mamluk court culture and edited volumes on Quran reception, legal knowledge transmission, and Islamic eschatology. Recent articles analyze Persian identity construction, Hanafi riddles, and Mamluk-Ottoman entanglements. His awards include the 2018 Malcolm H. Kerr Dissertation Award and Christian Gottlob Heyne Award. He supervises doctoral students and participates in international seminars, including the Balzan Seminar on Muslim state formation. His office hours (Tue 4:15–6:00 PM) are open for academic consultation at Fabeckstr. 23/25, Berlin.
Ina Asim is an Associate Professor at the University of Oregon's College of Arts and Sciences, with affiliations in Asian Studies, Food Studies, History, and Medieval Studies. She holds an office in 317 McKenzie Hall and her research focuses on Chinese history, cultural practices, and interdisciplinary studies. Her work explores topics such as sartorial regulations in the Ming Dynasty, Song Dynasty land contracts, and Tang Dynasty tomb culture. She also studies gender roles in early 20th-century reform movements and political legitimation strategies in medieval China. Recent research includes projects on urban life in late Ming Nanjing and the cultural legacy of the Silk Road. Her publications span historical analysis, biographical studies, and archaeological investigations, reflecting a deep engagement with material culture and social norms.
Prof. Dr. Michaela Hohkamp serves as Professor for Early Modern History/Space and Region at Leibniz University Hannover's Faculty of Philosophy within the Department of History. Previously, she held the Christian-Gottlob-Heyne-Professorship at Leibniz University Hannover (2011-2013) and was Professor for Theory and Methods in History and Gender History at the Free University of Berlin (2008-2011). Her academic journey began with studies in Medieval and Modern History, Sociology, Political Science, and Art History at the University of Göttingen (1978-1986), followed by doctoral work completed in 1998. She earned her habilitation at the Free University of Berlin in 2007. Her career includes significant research positions at the Max Planck Institute for History in Göttingen, a visiting fellowship at Stanford University (1997), and a guest position at the European University Institute in Florence (2003/2004). Professor Hohkamp's research centers on the history of early modern violence, power structures, family and kinship networks, women's and gender history, and historiography. Her groundbreaking work examines how kinship functioned as political infrastructure among European nobility, revealing how gendered relationships shaped political authority and conflict resolution. She has pioneered analysis of the conceptual boundaries between legitimate and illegitimate violence in early modern contexts, particularly through gendered lenses. Her scholarship consistently bridges historical methodology with anthropological approaches to kinship and social organization. Analysis of her publication trends reveals a deepening engagement with spatial dimensions of historical analysis in recent years, examining how geographical frameworks shaped political authority. Her work demonstrates remarkable continuity in exploring family networks as political tools while evolving to incorporate interdisciplinary perspectives on time, space, and representation. This evolution reflects broader shifts in historical methodology toward more integrated analyses of social, political, and spatial dimensions of early modern life. Her scholarly recognition includes: Fellowship at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF), Bielefeld (2017) Fellowship from the Dr. Jacques Körfer Foundation (2005-2006) DAAD Scholarship (1988) Max Planck Society Fellowship (1986-1995) Professor Hohkamp has supervised five doctoral candidates to completion, including Detlef Berghorn, Sven Erdner, Svenja Müller, Friederike Willasch, and Julia Heinemann. Her research has been supported by Volkswagen Foundation funding for projects on denunciation practices, and she has held significant administrative roles including Research Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at Leibniz University Hannover (2013-2015) and Dean of Studies at FU Berlin (2011). She currently serves as BAföG representative and Alumni Representative at the Historical Seminar. She maintains active involvement in multiple scholarly networks including the Working Group for Historical Women's and Gender Studies, the Working Group on Gender History of the Early Modern Period, the Family and Kinship Network of the German Studies Association, and the Historical Commission for Lower Saxony and Bremen's working group on Early Modern Period history. These affiliations demonstrate her commitment to collaborative, interdisciplinary research within her field.
Janet Richards is Professor of Egyptology in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan and Curator for Dynastic Egypt at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. Her work bridges academic research and public engagement through fieldwork, curation, and publication. Educational Background: Northwestern University — Anthropology and Egyptology University of Pennsylvania — Anthropology and Egyptology Her research centers on ancient Northeast African archaeology and history, with a focus on mortuary and votive contexts as expressions of ideology, power, and social transformation. She investigates how biographical narratives and landscape use reflect responses to political crises in ancient Egypt. Her work combines anthropological theory with archaeological evidence to understand long-term societal change. The recent and ongoing publications and projects reflect sustained engagement with themes of legitimacy, memory, and identity in ancient states. These span from large-scale excavations at Abydos to museum exhibitions that communicate archaeological methods to broader audiences. Scientific and Professional Contributions: Director, University of Michigan Abydos Middle Cemetery Project (since 1995) Curator, Kelsey Museum of Archaeology — 'Discovery! Excavating the Ancient World' exhibition Author of Society and Death in Ancient Egypt (2005) Co-editor of Order, Legitimacy, and Wealth in Ancient States (2000) Current research on Writing Ancient Lives: Weni the Elder and ancient Egyptian responses to political crisis Richards advises on archaeological interpretation and museum curation, though formal advisees are not listed. Her work is supported by long-term institutional affiliations and field research grants. She contributes to both academic scholarship and public understanding of archaeology through interdisciplinary collaboration and exhibition development. She is actively involved with the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, where her curatorial work integrates research, education, and outreach. Her projects often involve team-based fieldwork, interdisciplinary analysis, and engagement with both scholarly and public audiences.
Elisabeth Geevers serves as Senior Lecturer and Researcher in the Department of History within Lund University's Faculty of Humanities and Theology. Her institutional affiliation includes active participation in the university's research portal and various teaching responsibilities across undergraduate history programs. She completed her MA at Leiden University in 2002 followed by a PhD from the University of Amsterdam in 2008. Her academic journey includes lecturing positions at Utrecht University and Leiden University, plus postdoctoral research at Leiden, Radboud University Nijmegen, and Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen in Germany before joining Lund University. Geevers specializes in dynastic rule during the Early Modern period, with particular expertise in the Spanish Habsburg Monarchy and comparative studies of Safavid Iran. Her research examines the role of junior family members in dynastic governance and conceptual frameworks of dynastic systems. Recent publications reveal a methodological approach combining political, cultural, and religious history to understand how dynasties maintained power across diverse territories. Her work increasingly explores connections between European and non-European dynastic systems, demonstrating the transnational nature of early modern political organization. Her 27 research outputs demonstrate consistent scholarly productivity, with multiple publications in 2023 including the monograph 'The Spanish Habsburgs and Dynastic Rule, 1500–1700' and edited volume 'Dynasties and State Formation in Early Modern Europe.' These works establish her as a significant contributor to the field of early modern European history with growing influence in comparative dynastic studies. Professional activities include editorial responsibilities as Assistant Editor of 'The Court Historian,' Series Editor for 'Early Modern Court Studies' (Amsterdam University Press), and membership on the Editorial Board for the 'Early Modern History' book series published by Editorial UNED in Madrid. She has delivered numerous invited lectures and public seminars on European dynastic history. Geevers currently supervises two dissertation projects: 'Power Made Metal: Lead Amulets as Religious Technologies in Medieval Europe' (2024-2028) and 'At the Levers of Empire: Hope & Co. and the Reconfiguration of European and Colonial Trade and Finance, ca 1740–1830' (2022-2027), demonstrating her commitment to mentoring emerging scholars while maintaining an active research agenda.
Prof. Dr. Matthias Becher holds a chair in Medieval and Modern History at the University of Bonn (since 1998). He serves as Spokesperson for the Bonn Center for Premodern Orders and Their Forms of Communication (since 2021) and Principal Investigator at the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (since 2019). His work focuses on power dynamics, political communication, and cultural legitimacy in premodern European kingdoms. Spokesperson for DFG Collaborative Research Center (2016-2021) Declined University of Zurich professorship (2006) Co-editor of multiple academic series Research interests span: Transcultural analysis of medieval kingship Legitimization strategies in Carolingian/Ottonian eras Communication in premodern courts Historical contingency and crisis management Comparative ethnogenesis studies Material culture in power structures Scientific achievements: Recipient of Ignaz-Theodor-Liborius-Meyer-Prize (1995) Chief editor for Bonner Historische Forschungen and Historische Studien series Academy membership: North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences Advisory roles for major medieval exhibitions Media presence: Regular contributor to Terra X , Deutschlandfunk Nova , and other history documentaries, with notable appearances on Charlemagne's reign, Otto I's coronation, and medieval judicial practices.
Olivier Hekster is a Professor in Ancient History at Radboud University Nijmegen, where he has been a faculty member since 2004. He serves as Chair of Ancient and Medieval History and is affiliated with the Radboud Institute for Culture and History. Hekster is an elected member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) since 2020 and has held prestigious fellowships including the Humboldt Fellowship (2012-2013) and WWU Fellowship at Münster (2020-2021). He previously served as Director of the Institute for Historical, Cultural and Literary Studies (2015-2019) and Head of the History Department (2010-2012). Hekster's educational background includes: PhD in Roman History (cum laude), Radboud University Nijmegen, 2002 MA in Roman History (with distinction), University of Nottingham, 1998 MA in Ancient History (cum laude), Radboud University Nijmegen, 1997 Erasmus student at Terza Università di Roma, 1995 Hekster's research focuses on Roman history, particularly the impact of the Roman empire in its wider world. His primary interests include the power and imagery of Roman emperors, dynastic power and self-representation, Roman emperorship, Late Antiquity, the city of Rome, Roman numismatics, and theater and gladiatorial games in antiquity. He approaches these topics through interdisciplinary methods, examining how traditions influence new systems of rule and how power is communicated, contested, and accepted in changing societies. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary questions about leadership, tradition versus innovation, and ancient globalization. Analysis of Hekster's publications reveals a consistent focus on Roman imperial power structures, with particular attention to how emperors established legitimacy through tradition while navigating political change. His work spans from early imperial periods through Late Antiquity, with increasing attention to methodological questions about historical contingency and scale. The interdisciplinary nature of his research is evident in collaborations with computer scientists on facial recognition of emperors and with numismatists on coinage analysis. His scholarship demonstrates a progression from specific case studies of individual emperors toward broader theoretical frameworks for understanding imperial transformation. Hekster has received numerous prestigious awards and grants: 2017 Ammodo KNAW Award for Humanities 2016-2021 NWO VICI grant: 'Constraints and Tradition. Roman power in changing societies (50 BC – AD 565)' 2017 GRAVITATION grant for the program Anchoring Innovation 2012-2013 Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship 2009-2014 NWO Open competition Humanities grant 2003 Keetje Hodshon Prize for best historical dissertation Hekster has led significant research initiatives including the GRAVITATION program 'Anchoring Innovation' and the NWO VICI project 'Constraints and Tradition.' As chair of the international Impact of Empire network since 2006, he has fostered collaborative research across institutions. His grant success demonstrates the high regard for his methodological innovations in connecting ancient history with contemporary theoretical questions. While specific student advisees aren't listed in the provided materials, his leadership roles suggest extensive mentorship of junior scholars through the Impact of Empire network and departmental responsibilities. Hekster chairs the international Impact of Empire network, which connects scholars studying the Roman Empire's influence. He has also been instrumental in establishing interdisciplinary research frameworks through the 'Anchoring Innovation' program, which examines how societies integrate novelty while maintaining tradition. His work bridges traditional historical scholarship with digital humanities approaches, as evidenced by his collaboration on facial recognition methodologies for identifying Roman emperors.
Mait Kõiv is an Associate Professor of Ancient History at the University of Tartu, specializing in the political and religious history of Archaic and Classical Greece. His research focuses on monarchy dynamics, crisis narratives, and the intersection of myth, ritual, and power in ancient Mediterranean societies. He explores cross-cultural comparisons between Greek city-states and Near Eastern kingdoms, emphasizing how political legitimacy was constructed through religious practices and historical memory. Key research areas include: the transformation of early Greek political systems, the role of sanctuaries in state formation, the reception of Homeric epics as social documents, and the adaptation of Near Eastern political concepts in Greek contexts. His work frequently integrates textual analysis with archaeological evidence to reconstruct socio-political landscapes. Recent studies highlight crises in ancient Greece as both historical events and cultural constructs, examining how elites used religious frameworks to legitimize power transitions. His comparative approach links Hittite, Lydian, and Greek political strategies to understand broader patterns of ancient governance. Kõiv has also contributed to debates on tyranny, democracy's origins, and the mythological foundations of Greek leadership traditions. Publications span peer-reviewed articles and book chapters analyzing topics like Spartan constitutional traditions, Corinthian monarchy, and the Cimmerian impact on Anatolia. Despite his extensive academic contributions, no student advising or grant information is publicly detailed in available sources.
Muzaffer Duran is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ancient History within Süleyman Demirel University's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. His research centers on Ancient Persian and Anatolian history, with a focus on religious evolution and imperial structures. Educational achievements include a doctorate in History from Süleyman Demirel University. Research interests span: Administrative systems of Persian empires Cultural interactions in ancient Anatolia Religious transformations in historical contexts His publications demonstrate consistent focus on Achaemenid governance, military organization, and regional histories, analyzed through textual and archaeological evidence. No awards, students, or grants were documented in available sources.
Pablo Alberto Mumary Farto is a distinguished researcher in Mesoamerican Studies, currently serving as Investigador Distinguido 'Manuela Barreiro' at the Programa María Zambrano, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC). He holds a PhD in Mesoamerican Studies from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and has been a postdoctoral researcher at UNAM's Instituto de Investigaciones Antropológicas (2018–2020). His primary affiliation is with USC's Facultade de Xeografía e Historia, Department of History. Education: Licenciatura (2008) and Master's in Mesoamerican Studies (UNAM, 2012), Master's in Latin American History (University Pablo de Olavide, 2011), PhD (UNAM, 2017). Research focuses on Classic Maya political dynamics, epigraphy, iconography, and GIS applications in archaeology. Notable work includes studies on the Kaan Dynasty, Calakmul's urban organization, and Teotihuacan's influence in Maya regions. Active in academic committees, including editorial boards and thesis evaluations. Publications span archaeological analyses, iconographic studies, and historical reconstructions. Awards include CONACYT's National Researcher System membership and RECMEX recognition. His work bridges archaeological evidence with textual and symbolic analysis to unravel Maya socio-political complexity.
Prof. Dr. Martina Minas-Nerpel is Professor of Egyptology at the University of Trier since March 2018, where she leads research on Egyptian religion, cultural history of Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt, ruler ideology, and hieroglyphic temple texts. Her work bridges philological analysis with archaeological context, focusing particularly on intercultural dynamics during periods of political transition. Her educational background includes a Magister Artium in Egyptology and Classical Archaeology from University of Trier (1991), Master of Philosophy in Egyptology from University of Oxford (1993), and PhD from University of Trier (1998). She completed her habilitation at Trier in 2004, establishing her expertise in Ptolemaic royal ideology. Minas-Nerpel's research interests center on the complex interplay between Egyptian and Hellenistic/Roman cultural elements, particularly examining how Ptolemaic queens navigated dual identities, how temple architecture reflected political realities, and how religious practices evolved under foreign rule. Her work reveals how Egyptian institutions maintained continuity while adapting to new political frameworks. Analysis of her recent publications (2017-2025) shows consistent focus on Ptolemaic queenship, temple architecture under Roman rule, and cultural syncretism. Her work increasingly examines gender dimensions of power, religious innovation during political crises, and the material expression of ideological concepts through temple decoration and ritual practices. Dissertationspreis der Universität Trier (1999) Feodor Lynen-Forschungsstipendiatin der Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung (2002) Getty Research Scholar at Getty Museum, Los Angeles (2016-2017) Gerda Henkel-Stiftung research grants (2005-2006, 2008-2009) Minas-Nerpel directs two major international projects: the Belgian-German Epigraphic Mission to Karnak (since 2018), documenting Ptolemaic restoration work at Karnak Temple, and the Shanhur Temple Project (since 2010), analyzing the Roman-period Temple of Isis at Shanhur. These projects involve substantial collaborations with European institutions and receive funding from the FNRS-UNamur, CFEETK, Gerda Henkel Foundation, and EPSRC (UK). Her leadership in these projects has resulted in significant publications, including multi-volume studies of temple inscriptions and decorative programs that provide comprehensive analyses of religious and political expression in ancient Egyptian temples during periods of foreign rule.
Bjørn Bandlien is a Professor of History at the Department of Economics, History, and Social Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway, specializing in Viking Age and medieval Scandinavia. His research intersects gender, cultural brokerage, and political legitimacy in pre-modern societies. Education: Dr. philos. (University of Oslo, 2005) Projects: Project member of Viking Nativity: Gjellestad across Borders , associated researcher at Norsk Borgsenter (Vestfoldmuseene) His scholarly work examines historical methodology, urbanity, identity, and cross-cultural encounters during the Viking Age and Middle Ages. He has lectured extensively on topics including Tønsberg history, crusades, royal power, and the intersection of queenship and literature. Recent publications focus on themes like cultural exchange in medieval Norway, Muslim representations in Scandinavian sources, and the use of didactic literature for elite legitimation. His research also explores numismatic evidence for kingship and the role of marginality in Icelandic sagas.
