Fourth PhD workshop co-organized by CEFRES and EHESS, Prague, April 24, 2025
A report by Bleuenn Bidois, intern at CEFRES
By bringing together young researchers from various disciplines, the workshop aimed to explore flows of objects, practices, techniques and knowledge that shaped the medieval world. The day began with a conceptual introduction by Lise Saussus (EHESS, Paris), who encouraged participants to rethink the notion of circulation beyond the narrow framework of “transfer.” Circulation, she argued, implies movement, transformation, and mutual influence rather than a one-way transmission. She also highlighted the importance of linking production with consumption and of analyzing both standardization and local variation. Thus, material culture is not just a passive witness but an active medium of knowledge, skill, and social organization. As the various PhD presentations showed, the medieval world, far from being withdrawn, was shaped by diverse dynamics of exchange and interaction. Continuer la lecture de A European Middle Ages: Circulations of Objects, Practices, and Techniques between Central and Western Europe (1000-1600)