In January I became the new Fitzjames Research Fellow in Medieval English at Merton College, Oxford.
I am of course delighted, and also conscious that, while I think I work hard and am good at what I do, I’m very lucky to have the job. Since my MSt I’ve tried to approach each thing I’ve done in academia with the knowledge that this might be the last stage of my academic life, and that even if I do find a subsequent position, it might well be in a different place. I’m therefore keenly aware that having had two graduate degrees and two postdocs all in a row in Oxford makes me fortunate indeed. And, though I’ve been heard to say that ‘eight years of Oxford is more than anyone deserves—in two senses’, I’m very happy to be staying here for a few years more.
Since January I’ve had a busy Hilary Term, with lots of teaching ranging from Cædmon to Wyatt, and a whole new set of administrative structures to inhabit. But my new role’s a research position too, and I’ve kicked off a new swathe of research on the manuscripts which don’t survive from later medieval England. This topic seemed like a natural sequel to years spent studying the books which we do have, and I hope to write a bit more about this work here soon: I’ve a substantial article on the topic due out this year.
I hope to remain involved with the Wycliffite Bible project in future. The WB research was always planned as an effort which would continue in a lower tempo after the end of its research council funding. I’m also editing a couple of the Canterbury Tales (the Cook’s and the Man of Law’s) for the nascent Cambridge Chaucer project, which should be educational.
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