I remember vividly a rich discussion in one of your Birkbeck Medieval World undergraduate classes on ‘when did the medieval period end’. There was, of course, no agreement and dates suggested by students ranged in centuries. These days, as an Early Modernist, I am getting better at being politely vague before moving the conversation on - usually to the subject of cheese.
Is there any topic that can't be politely and beneficially moved on to a discussion of cheese? Maybe we could re-periodise based on major steps in cheese-making history...
I remember vividly a rich discussion in one of your Birkbeck Medieval World undergraduate classes on ‘when did the medieval period end’. There was, of course, no agreement and dates suggested by students ranged in centuries. These days, as an Early Modernist, I am getting better at being politely vague before moving the conversation on - usually to the subject of cheese.
Is there any topic that can't be politely and beneficially moved on to a discussion of cheese? Maybe we could re-periodise based on major steps in cheese-making history...
This could be the first occasion that all scholars agree on a subject.
Got to be worth a try :D
Maybe we should try something more straightforward first. World peace? 😂