GMS 2026 Medieval Masculinities and Power

The Gender & Medieval Studies (GMS) Group is proud to announce its upcoming specialized symposium hosted at the historic grounds of Swansea University. This event represents a significant gathering of minds dedicated to unearthing the nuanced complexities of gender roles during the medieval period. This year’s theme focuses heavily on the intersection of masculinity and power dynamics within Western European societies between 500 and 1500 CE.

Attendees will dive deep into a series of curated lectures and panel discussions that challenge traditional Victorian interpretations of "knighthood" and "manhood." The conference aims to explore how medieval individuals navigated the rigid hierarchies of the church, the court, and the battlefield, often finding fluid or subversive ways to express gender identity. Scholars from across the UK will present groundbreaking research on Hagiography, Old Norse sagas, and Welsh legal codes (the Laws of Hywel Dda), providing a localized context to the broader European gender landscape.

The program includes a keynote address focused on the "Gender of Authority," examining how female regents and religious leaders often adopted masculine-coded behaviors to maintain political stability. Furthermore, the event will feature a dedicated workshop on archival research, teaching participants how to spot "gendered silence" in medieval manuscripts where traditional historical narratives may have erased marginalized voices.

Swansea’s unique position as a coastal gateway to Welsh history provides the perfect backdrop for this exploration. Beyond the academic rigor, the symposium offers an invaluable opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration. Historians, literary critics, and art historians will find common ground in discussing how visual culture—from illuminated manuscripts to stone carvings—perpetuated or challenged the gender binary of the Middle Ages. This event is not merely a look back at the past, but a critical examination of how medieval gender structures have influenced modern societal norms and legal frameworks. By attending, you contribute to a growing body of work that seeks to make the Middle Ages more inclusive and accurately represented in the 21st century.