IDK Lecture Series "Philology: Method and/or Historical Object?" (Winter Term 2026/2027)
21.10.2026
Philology is often understood as a set of practices established in the 19th century that pertain to the scholarship and stewardship of texts. They have shaped the methodological foundation of the modern Humanities and are still practiced today. Equally, however, there are other, historical forms of philological work on and with texts that have themselves become objects of our research. How are these two aspects related? And what are the implications for our research?
These questions are addressed in the second Lecture Series by the International Doctorate Program “Philology: Practices of Premodern Cultures, Global Perspectives, and Future Concepts” (IDK Philology) in the winter term 2026/2027. Presenters from ten disciplines discuss the role of philology, as well as the often-difficult definition of this term for their areas of study, creating ample space for interdisciplinary cross-pollination.
The English-language Lecture Series is open to all interested university members. Listeners are welcome (no prior registration required). It takes place on Wednesdays from 18:15-20:00 in room A 016 (LMU main building, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1). For any questions about the event, please contact Marco Pouget (idk.philologie at lrz.uni-muenchen.de).
Program
21.10.2026: Medieval French Literature
Prof. Dr. Marion Uhlig (Université de Genève)
‘It Takes Two to Make a Romance’: Performative Metalepses in Partonopeus de Blois
Chair: Tobias Steinfatt
28.10.2026: Ancient History
Dr. Frauke Weiershäuser
Louisa Grill
Can We Read Lexical Texts as Historical Documents?
Chair: Valentin Bernadou
18.11.2026: Greek and Latin Philology
Prof. Dr. Regina Höschele
Prof. Dr. Peter Bing
Moero, Mother of a Homeric Crux?
Chair: Constanze Metzger
25.11.2026: Medieval English Literature
Prof. Dr. Miriam Edlich-Muth (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf)
The Post-REALM Project, Digital Analysis and the Failure of the Analogue
Chair: Dr. des. Korinna Gonschorek
02.12.2026: Medieval History
Dr. des. Ophelia Norris
Early Medieval Hagiography: Philological Fantasy or Historical Reality?
Chair: Marco Pouget
09.12.2026: Musicology
Prof. Dr. Irene Holzer
Audrey Harris
Hedwig Oschwald
Rereading the Origins of 'Musical Philology'
Chair: Elisabeth Seidel
16.12.2026: Medieval German Literature
Prof. Dr. Beate Kellner
Maria Deischl
Magical Writing in the Middle Ages as Philological Practice
Chair: Jacob Ostermaier
13.01.2027: Egyptology
Prof. Dr. Martin Stadler
Erik Kiesel
Valentin Bernadou
More than just Wall Paper: Material Shifts of Egyptian Texts Between Scrolls and Monuments
Chair: Louisa Grill
20.01.2027: Chinese Studies
Prof. Dr. Hans van Ess
Federico Beltrame
Dating Early Chinese Texts: Taking the Zhuangzi 莊子 as an Example
Chair: Zhang Shuning
27.01.2027: Indian and Buddhist Studies
Prof. Dr. Jens-Uwe Hartmann
Navpreet Singh
Zhang Shuning
Authors and Scribes, Variants and Originals: How do Buddhist Studies Address these Questions?
Chair: Federico Beltrame