Lead name: Profs Ulinka Rublack, John Robb, Nicholas Thomas, Mary Laven, Dr Melissa Calaresu
Department: Faculty of History, Department of Archaeology, Department of Social Anthropology
Themes:
- Social, cultural, economic transformations
- Technology. Knowledge and Human Development
- Legacies of the Past or Historical Transitions
The Material Culture Forum aims to organize seminars, workshops, and research visits to enhance interdisciplinary projects and strengthen Cambridge's position as a leading centre in Material Culture studies. This initiative builds upon existing interdisciplinary activities within Cambridge, particularly focusing on material culture studies. Groundwork for this project was laid by previous events such as the long-running CRASSH seminar series "Things."
The forum will provide a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration, organising events, and facilitating funding opportunities. It will also address challenges such as organisational structure, continuity, and scale, ensuring sustained growth and representation across various departments and institutions.
Activities will include thematic seminar series, method-oriented reading groups, workshops for grant application development, research visits, networking events, and professional development sessions. These activities will foster theoretical innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration, contributing to the advancement of material culture studies.
Material Culture Forum goals:
- Elevate the visibility and profile of Material Culture Studies at Cambridge.
- Enhance academic work by introducing new concepts and fostering partnerships among researchers.
- Facilitate collaboration among scholars, collections professionals, and scientific analysts.
- Strengthen funding applications and supports early career researchers in grant development.
Overall, we aim to empower interdisciplinary projects, support collaborations, and solidify Cambridge's reputation as a global leader in Material Culture studies.
