PIMSPontifical Institute
of
Mediaeval Studies

Service in premodern Europe was a ubiquitous phenomenon in daily life but also constituted a key concept for defining relationships between individuals. Servants were men or women, of high or low status, poor or wealthy, children or elderly, Christian, Jewish or Muslim, and with few or great expectations for their future. For some, service was a lifetime occupation but for many it was a finite period in their life cycle. Even kings considered themselves to be servants in relation to God. Our approach seeks to conceive the history of service in the longue durée, starting around 1000, when primary sources become more abundant (thanks to the increasing reliance on written texts) and ending before the turning point of the late seventeenth century, when the conception of service changed significantly. Our approach is both empirical and theoretical: we examine service as a socio-historical reality and as a concept that defines personal and work relationships.

The registration form must be filled out by September 15th for conference participation. Space is limited, so early registration is advised. The registration form and additional information can be found on our website: https://weareallservants2019utoronto.wordpress.com. If you have any questions, please contact Lane Springer (lane.springer@mail.utoronto.ca).