Conference to examine the complex history of immigration
Immigration, its causes and its consequences, may be a contentious topic in the 21st century, but it is by no means a new phenomenon.
A major conference organised by scholars from the Universities of Leicester and York and taking place between 26-27 March will examine the presence and treatment of foreigners in England between AD 500 and 1500 – including the era of King Richard III.
Aliens, Foreigners and Strangers in Medieval England will provide historical and cultural context to contemporary discussions among policy-makers and the public about ethnicity, multiculturalism and the evolution of national identity in modern Britain.
The conference, organised by Professor Joanna Story (pictured) of the School of History and Professors Mark Ormrod and Elizabeth Tyler of the University York will bring together scholars in history, literature, historical linguistics, manuscript studies, the archaeology of human remains and artefacts, the study of landscapes, and the sciences of genetics and statistics.
The event will aim to address the issue of how the movement of people into and within England helped to shape English society over the period from AD 500 to 1500.