Steven Teasdale

After an extended period away from academia, I am looking forward to returning to pursue my MA in history under the supervision of Anthony D'Elia. My area of historical investigation will be the social and cultural history of late medieval and Renaissance Italy. In particular, I am interested in how information and communication effected (and reflected) the profound social, cultural, and political changes of the era. The clash between secularism and spirituality, the emotional discontent at the heart of modernity, and the tension between state secrecy and freedom of information dominate our current moral and political discourse. To properly address these issues, I believe it is necessary to understand their origins in the cultural and social world of late medieval Italy.

My other interests include the cross-cultural interactions between Latin Christians, Byzantines, and Muslims in the Mediterranean (particularly Southern Italy) during the years 828-1300 as well as the analysis of late medieval histories and chronicles, especially the historiographical assumptions of their authors and the use of classical and medieval source material. I am also interested in contemporary issues surrounding modernity, secularism, and multiculturalism, with particular interest in the ideas of Charles Taylor. Outside the classroom, I plan to continue my decade-long immersion into the music and thought of Anthony Braxton.

Awards