Conference | Masterclass
Ancient Studies in the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities
- Date
- Thursday 1 October 2026
- Time
- Address
-
Johan Huizinga
Doelensteeg 16
2311 VL Leiden - Room
- 2.60
On 1 October 2026, the annual masterclass of the OIKOS research group Late Antiquity and Byzantine Studies will take place, organised by Indira Huliselan (Leiden University) and Kevin Hoogeveen (University of Amsterdam). This event is open to Research Master students and PhD candidates. We are pleased to announce a masterclass by Dr James Corke-Webster (King’s College London). A theologian and classicist by training, Dr Corke-Webster is a leading scholar in Christian historiography and late antiquity, and currently serves as Head of the Department of Classics at King’s College London.
What does it mean to study the ancient world in the 21st century, and why does it matter? This subject concerns all of us who work with ancient sources, whether texts, inscriptions, coins, art, or landscapes: each speaks a language shaped by power, strategy, and context, and each demands that we reflect on what we bring to it as modern interpreters. The day offers a rare opportunity to step back and engage with questions that cut across all of ancient studies: why does our field matter, how do we work across disciplinary boundaries, and what do ancient sources demand of us as interpreters?
The day combines an introductory lecture by Dr Corke-Webster with small-group workshops on three themes: methodology and bias in modern interpretation versus ancient rhetoric, interdisciplinarity, and the relevance of ancient studies to wider society. In the afternoon, there will be a visit to the National Museum of Antiquities, focusing on how the field is represented to wider audiences, followed by a plenary discussion and a concluding public lecture by Dr Corke-Webster. Participants can be awarded 2 OIKOS ECTS and receive a certificate, with an additional credit available for a 1000-word reflective essay.
Register
If you have any queries or wish to register, please direct these to k.m.w.hoogeveen@uva.nl.