Centre for Medieval Studies
Sam Elphick
Religious Expressions of Scandinavians in England, c.865-954.
My research asks how Scandinavians expressed spirituality in the region of England from the landing of the Great Heathen Army in 865 to the exile of Eric of York in 954. I am interested in the modes and mechanics of spirituality in both ‘Paganism’ and Christianity, and in the mechanics of the conversion from the former to the latter in England. As such, I am making use of an interdisciplinary method to take advantage of several types of evidence to produce a comprehensive examination. Inspired by post modern, post-colonial and post-structural theory; it is my aim is to use these findings to propose new perspectives on meta-narratives, nation-building, and otherness in Anglo-Scandinavian studies; and I am particularly striving to produce an endonymic explanation that challenges the Anglo-sided norm.
Biography
Samuel completed his History B.A. at Keele University in 2022, before going on to study Medieval History as his M.A. at the University of York: which he completed in 2023. He has immediately continued his studies with a PhD in Medieval Studies at the University of York in 2023, which is supervised by Professor Dawn Hadley. His research interests include: Anglo-Scandinavians, otherness, cultural history, diasporic studies, migration studies, coinage, and hagiography.
