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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 2d

Our first talk of this year's Michaelmas term will be delivered by one of the MEMSA chairs from last year, Isaiah Silvers! He will be discussing 'Auxilios: "Reform" and "Aid" in the Hospital Institutions of New Spain, c. 1730-1770'.

Hope to see you all on Monday 13th October at 6pm!

Auxilios: ‘Reform’ and ‘Aid’ in the Hospital Institutions of New Spain, c. 1730-1770 Isaiah Silvers - Durham University 6p Monday 13 October 7 Owengate on Palace Green Everyone Welcome! In the midst of the reformist atmosphere of the mid-eighteenth-century Spanish Empire a significant part of the administration of the vast viceroyalty of New Spain involved the management of an extensive system of hospital institutions. These included foundling homes, lazarettos, almshouses, and multi-purpose casas de misericordia. This paper investigates how metropolitan ideologies of reform were transmitted and transformed by colonial officials and hospital administrators in New Spain. Through this inquiry, I will propose some alternative models to the received narrative of church-crown competition. Principally, I will suggest that new poor relief practices of this period in New Spain, proceeding through ad-hoc coalitions, contributed the growth of associational cultures among propertied criollos, who in turn deployed the voguish notions of ‘reform’ and ‘aid’ to promote mercantile liberalisation, defend chattel slavery, and enforce racial exclusions in the civic sphere.

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 12d

We will be holding our first social of the year at the oldest pub in Durham on Tuesday 7th October at 7pm.

Everyone is welcome, whether you are studying the medieval or early modern period or just interested in it! Come along to meet some fellow postgrads and celebrate the new academic year!

We are excited to announce the first MEMSA social of the year will take place on Tuesday, 7th October at 7pm at the Dun Cow (Snug Bar), the oldest pub in Durham.

If you're new to MEMSA, we are Durham University's Medieval and Early Modern Student Association. MEMSA is an interdisciplinary association attended by postgraduate students in the departments of English, History, Archaeology, MLAC, Art History, and more.

Everyone is welcome at the social! Whether you are studying the medieval or early modern period yourself or are just interested in it, it’s a great chance to meet some other postgrads with similar interests at Durham! See you there!

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · 26d

We are pleased to announce submissions are OPEN for this year's MEMSA seminar series!

Submit your abstract of <250 words to our email by Sunday 5th October. Please check the post for further details.

We look forward to reading all applications, and we can't wait to see you there!

MEMSA Seminar Series Call for Papers: Durham University's Medieval and Early Modern Student Association (MEMSA) is an interdisciplinary student-run association attended by postgraduate students in the faculties of English, History, Archaeology, MLAC, Art History, and more. We are excited to announce we are now accepting applications for speakers to present in the biweekly MEMSA Seminar Series for the 2025 to 2026 academic year. Our seminars take place in person at 6pm on alternating Monday evenings of term at the IMEMS department headquarters in 7 Owengate. We welcome submissions of 20-30 minute papers from postgraduate students and early career professionals on any topic in any discipline involved in the study of the medieval and early modern periods. Papers should be accessible for a non-specialist academic audience, and the presentation will be followed by approximately 10 minutes for questions and responses. We also happily provide tea and biscuits before the paper begins. If you are interested in presenting, please send a proposal or abstract of no more than 250 words to the MEMSA team at memsa.committee@durham.ac.uk Please also include a brief biographical statement of up to 100 words with your application. DEADLINE: Sunday 5th October X/Twitter @durhamMEMSA Facebook facebook.com/durhammemsa/ bluesky @durhammemsa.bsky.social instagram @durhammemsa website durhammemsa.wordpress.com

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 24

Keep an eye out on social media to keep up to date with all things MEMSA, including our Seminar Series, Blog, Community Course, and of course next year's conference!

You can find us on X (@DurhamMEMSA), Instagram (@Durhammemsa) and our website: durhammemsa.wordpress.com

Medieval and Early Modern Student Association

Visit the post for more.

durhammemsa.wordpress.com

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 24

At the beginning of this week we hosted the 19th Annual MEMSA Conference.

We would like to thank our supporters: @sshmedicine.bsky.social, Durham's Faculty of Arts and Humanities, @durhamhistory.bsky.social, Durham Castle and of course @imems.bsky.social

Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

MEMSA Conference 2025

Final photo of the conference, thank you to everyone who came over the two days - whether for the whole conference or popped in for part of it.

Safe journey home

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

MEMSA Conference 2025

Final photo of the conference, thank you to everyone who came over the two days - whether for the whole conference or popped in for part of it.

Safe journey home

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

And that's a wrap, thank you to everyone who has been involved in the conference this year!

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

Finally, we have closing remarks from this years MEMSA co-chairs Lottie Thompson and Isaiah Silvers!

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

‘Creatures of Power: Animals, Ecology and Humanity in the Medieval World’

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

While at the same time delegates are also hearing from Dr Victoria Burns-Price, Dr Daniella Zaidman-Mauer and Dr Grace Catherine Greiner on ‘More than Meets the Eye: Imagining and Imagined Connections between Magic and the Natural World;

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

It is now time for the final session of the conference. Our first panel is titled ‘Creatures of Power: Animals, Ecology and Humanity in the Medieval World’ with Rosalind Philips-Solomon, Jennifer Coulton and Amanda Boeing.

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

‘The Green Arcana: Herbs as Tools of Transformation in Magic and Ritual’

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

In the castle, we are also hosting a session on ‘Publishing Your Research For Postgraduate and Early Career Professionals’ in association with Boydell and Brewer.

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

After a busy morning, are are now at the fifth panel of the conference with ‘The Green Arcana: Herbs as Tools of Transformation in Magic and Ritual’ with Aphrodite Skarpa, Gretchin Kepplinger and Heather Taylor

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

Our keynote from Dr Yarí Pérez-Marín

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

We are now about to listen to the second keynote speaker of the conference from Dr Yarí Pérez-Marín who is delivering a talk on “The Hidden Nature: Observation and Vulnerability in Early Modern Surgical Writing”

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

MEMSA Conference ‘Poetry as Natural Philosophy: Reimagining Life and Death in Verse’

Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

Simultaneously in the Castle, there are papers from Emily Whittingham, Maria Del Mar Yunis and Kenzie Scott in the panel ‘Poetry as Natural Philosophy: Reimagining Life and Death in Verse’

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

Alongside hosting the conference in Durham Castle, our other panel is held in 7 Owengate, the home for the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies. Here are some of our talks taking place there yesterday

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 22

Kicking off proceedings bright and early on day 2 of our conference we have the first panel on: ‘Myths and Legends: Exploring the Boundaries of Folklore and Science’ with papers from Valentina Majolo, Thomas Banbury and Charles Marshall.

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 21

We are rounding up our panels for the day. Here are some more pictures from our speakers from sessions held in the Bishop's Dining Room in Durham Castle

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 21

At the same time we have ‘Gardens of Resistance: Fertility, Faith, and Female Agency’ with speakers Jessica Weiss, Charlotte Whitney-Brown, Nanna Emtoft and Ana Aldazabal

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Durham MEMSA @durhammemsa.bsky.social · Jul 21

We have arrived at our final session of the day! This includes a panel Sacred Seeds and Transplanted Truths: Nature’s Role in the Human Condition with papers from Francis Taylor and Sabrina Hogan

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