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- Detailed Information
Lauren Mancia
Associate Professor
History
Location: 1123B Boylan Hall
Phone: 718.951.5000 x2810
Fax: 718.951.4504
Email:
Lauren Mancia (she/her) looks at what medieval Europeans left behind -- art, writings, artifacts, institutions, manuscripts, buildings, plays, rituals, diagrams, etc. -- in order to understand how they experienced and learned their religious practices, and, thereby, how they understood themselves. In her research, Mancia focuses on the devotional culture of medieval monasteries in the 11th and 12th centuries. Some of her courses stem from her research interests (e.g., courses on historical Christianity, on historical religious experience, on creative ways of producing historical knowledge, or on the history of emotions), but she also teaches courses on wider subjects of medieval and early modern history. Her new research uses insights and methodologies from the field of performance studies both to better understand medieval monastic devotion and to innovate how to perform that understanding for contemporary audiences. Outside of BC, Prof. Mancia is a lecturer at The Met Cloisters.
Education:
Ph.D., Yale University - 2013 (History)
M.A., Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto - 2006 (Medieval Studies)
B.A., Columbia College, Columbia University - 2005 (English/Medieval Studies)
Areas of Expertise:
Prof. Mancia is a historian of medieval Christian devotional practices. Her first book, Emotional Monasticism: Affective Piety in the Eleventh-Century Monastery of John of Fécamp sheds light on medieval monastic practices of affective piety. Her second book, Meditation and Prayer in the Eleventh- and Twelfth-Century Monastery: Struggling Toward God is forthcoming from ARC Humanities/AUP. In 2023-24, she will be a Visiting Scholar in the Performance Studies Dept. at NYU (and on leave from BC).
Books and Publications
Meditation and Prayer in the Eleventh- and Twelfth-Century Monastery: Struggling Towards God (Available for preorder here: https://www.aup.nl/en/book/9781641893121/meditation-and-prayer-in-the-eleventh-and-twelfth-century-monastery) (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2023
"Seeking Unworthiness, Self-Knowledge, and Truth: Humility in the Medieval Monastic Tradition of the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries," Oxford Philosophical Concepts volume on Humility, edited by Justin Steinberg, forthcoming. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2022
"The Experience of Monastic Meditation in the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries," Memini: Revue intedisciplinaire sur le Moyen Âge et le début de la période moderne, eds. Piroska Nagy and Xavier Biron Ouellet, vol. 28. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2022
"Jean de Fécamp et sa réforme émotionnelle : Une clé pour comprendre les manuscrits de Fécamp," in La bibliothèque et les archives de l'abbaye de la Sainte-Trinité de Fécamp: Splendeur et dispersion des manuscrits et des chartes d'une prestigieuse abbaye bénédictine normande (Xe-XXe s.); in Première partie: la bibliothèque et les archives au Moyen Age; (eds. Stéphane Lecouteux, Ourdia Siab and Nicolas Leroux). (Books and Publications: Book Chapter) 2021
"Tools for Monastic Emotion: Confessio and Conversio in Augustine, John of Fécamp, and the Cloisters Cross," in Monastic Emotion, special issue of the Pakistan Journal of Historical Studies, eds. Barbara Rosenwein and Riccardo Cristiani. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2021
"Sources for Monasticism in the Long Twelfth Century," Cambridge History of Medieval Monasticism in the Latin West, Cambridge University Press, pp. 667-683. (Books and Publications: Book Chapter) 2020
"What Would Benedict Do?," a contribution to Whose Middle Ages?, Fordham University Press (eds. Andrew Albin, Will Cerbone, Mary Erler, Thomas O'Donnell, Nicholas Paul, and Nina Rowe).
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2019
Emotional Monasticism: Affective Piety at the Eleventh-Century Monastery of John of Fécamp (Manchester University Press, 2019; Paperback 2021) http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526140203/ (Books and Publications: Book (Authored)) 2019
"Caritas avant qu'elle ne devienne 'charité'," in Sensibilités: Histoire, Critique, et Sciences Sociales, fall 2018. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2018
"Praying with an Eleventh-Century Manuscript: A Case Study of the Engimatic Paris, BnF, ms. lat. 13593" in Boundaries in the Medieval and Wider World, Europa Sacra series 22, (Turnhout: Brepols, 2017), 153-177. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2017
"John of Fécamp and Affective Reform in Eleventh-Century Normandy." Anglo-Norman Studies 37: 161-79. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2015
"Reading Augustine's Confessions in Normandy in the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries." Tabularia "Études 14: 195-233. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2014
Creative Work
Co-organizer of exhibit "Magisterial Feminae: How Women Who Studied the Ancient World Innovated Brooklyn College, the Latin Greek Institute, and Beyond: 1930-1980," at Brooklyn College Archives, BC Library, May 5, 2023-December, 31 2023. (Exhibition or Performance) 2023
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
Eric M. Steinberg Award for College Citizenship, Brooklyn College (Awards and Honors) 2021
Mrs. Giles Whiting Foundation Fellowship for Outstanding Teaching in the Humanities, Spring 2017 (Grants and Fellowships) 2017
Elizabeth Ann Bogert Grant for the Study of Christian Mysticism. (Grants and Fellowships) 2012
Etienne Gilson Dissertation Grant, Medieval Academy of America. (Grants and Fellowships) 2012
Fulbright Research Grant to France. (Grants and Fellowships) 2012
John B. and Theta H. Wolf Travel Fellowship, Society for French Historical Studies. (Grants and Fellowships) 2012
Travel Bursary for the Study of Medieval Languages & Literature, Medium Aevum. (Grants and Fellowships) 2012
National Organization of Italian American Women Scholarship. (Grants and Fellowships) 2010
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
"For God and Monastery: Loyalty in the Medieval Devotional Landscape," Loyalty as Emotional Entanglement, International Medieval Congress, University of Leeds
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2023
"Greek and Syriac Sources and the 'Innovations' of Eleventh- and Twelfth-Century Monastic Thought," Lost Patriarchs Conference, Fordham Univ.
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2023
"You Had to Be There: A Proposed Methodology for the History of Medieval Monastic Religious Experience," at Fragments of Experience: Approaching 'Lived Religion' in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, Brooklyn College.
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2023
Keynote address, "Touch and Affect in the Middle Ages and Renaissance," 43rd Annual Medieval and Renaissance Forum, Keene State College, New Hampshire.
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2023
"From Theory to Practice: Understanding Meditative Experience in the Eleventh- and Twelfth-Century Monastery," Medieval Studies Workshop at Stanford University, 21 April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2021
"'If Only There Were a Fire in Me': Spiritual Advice Between Monastic Men and Medieval Women," Seeking Authority: Women, Genre, and Philosophical Reflections in Medieval and Early Modern Europe, Columbia University, 15-16 February. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2020
"Meditative Experience in the Eleventh- and Twelfth-Century Monastery," Pour une histoire de l'expérience : le laboratoire medieval, Séminaire de recherche, Univeresité de Québec à Montréal, 30 October 2020.
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2020
"Affective Piety in the Eleventh-Century Benedictine Monastery," September 26, Columbia University Medieval Seminar. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2019
"Augustine, John of Fécamp, and the Monastic Meditative Tradition to the Eleventh Century," in "Finding the Way: Conference on the Sources, History, and Impact of the Meditative Tradition," organized by Christian Mercer, Columbia University, 1-3 February. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2019
"Praying by Rote? Intellectual and Emotional Modes in Monastic Spiritual Thought," Ritual and Religion in the Medieval World, Center for Medieval Studies at Fordham University, New York, NY, March 30-31. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2019
"Credo: Did Medieval Monks Really Believe?" Truth and Truthiness: Belief, Authenticity, Rhetoric, and Spin in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Barnard Medieval and Renaissance Studies Conference, 1 December. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2018
"Emotional Reform in the Benedictine Monastery of the Eleventh Century (And the Periodization of 'Medieval' and 'Renaissance')," in "Periodizing Medieval Emotions" session, chaired by David Konstan, at the History of Emotions Conference at George Mason University (organized by Susan Matt and Peter Stearns), 1-2 June. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2018
"John of Fécamp: Abbot, Administrator, Devotee, Innovator," Conference in Honor of Elizabeth A.R. Brown, CUNY Graduate Center, 16 March 2018. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2018
"Medieval Devotional Performance," NYU English Department, 8 November 2018. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2018
"Monastic Spiritual Thought: Emotional or Intellectual?" in Twelfth and Thirteenth Century Intellectual History, North American Conference on British Studies, 25-28 October 2018, Providence, RI. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2018
"The Question of Hannah: Prayerful Models for Male and Female Religious," in "Gender and Devotion in the 12th and 13th Centuries," 21st New College Conference on Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Sarasota, FL, 8-10 March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2018
"L'invention d'un dieu souffrant: Réforme émotionelle dans le monastère de Fécamp," La bibliothèque monastique de l'abbaye de la sainte Trinité de Fécamp, Fécamp, France, 25-26 October 2017. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2017
"Lament for Lost Solitude? Monastic Devotion Cultivated in the Secular Landscape," Medieval Club of New York, CUNY Graduate Center, 10 November 2017. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2017
"Compassionate Cruelty: John of Fécamp and Emotional Devotion in the Eleventh-Century Monastery." Department of History, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, Oct. 5. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2015
"Emotional Devotion in the Medieval Monastery." Department of French, New York University. New York, Feb. 26. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2015
"Jesus Through the Middle Ages: The Development of the Image and Doctrine of Christ in Medieval Christianity." St. Francis College. Brooklyn, N.Y., April 4. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2014
"Realizing Prayer in the Material: The Devotional Culture of the Eleventh-Century Monastery of Fécamp." Medieval Materiality. University of Colorado at Boulder. Oct. 23-25. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2014
"Religious Reform as Emotional Reform in the Eleventh-Century Monastery of John of Fécamp." Friends of the Saints. CUNY Graduate Center. New York, Dec. 12. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2014
"The Art of Reform at Fécamp." International Congress on Medieval Studies. Kalamazoo, Mich. May 8-11. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2014
"Visualizing Emotion: Cultivating Empathy and Modeling the Ineffable in Medieval Art." Department of Art History, Wellesley College. Wellesley, Mass., April 3. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2014
Speaker in the "Medieval and Renaissance Lives" series of Columbia/Barnard's Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program. Barnard College. New York, Oct. 8. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2014
"Jean de Fécamp et la culture religieuse à son monastère au XI siècle." Journée d'études on the monastery of Fécamp. Université de Caen Basse-Normandie. Caen, France, June 15. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2013
"Reading John of Fécamp in an Eleventh-Century Monastery." Medieval Academy of America Annual Meeting. University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Knoxville, Tenn., April 4-6. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2013
"Emotional Reform in the Eleventh-Century Monastery: The Case of John of Fécamp." Conventus Medieval Seminar. Henri Pirenne Institute for Medieval Studies, Ghent University. Ghent, Belgium, May 23. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2012
"Writing a History of Religious Experience: The Case of John of Fécamp." Groupe de recherche sur les pouvoirs et les societés de l'Occident médiéval et moderne" Grepsomm, Université de Québec à Montréal. Montreal, Dec. 14. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2012
"The Monks of Fécamp and Their Ducal Patrons: Transformations of the Eleventh Century." Charles Homer Haskins Society Annual Meeting. Boston College. Boston, Nov. 4-6. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2011
"More Than Alpha et Omega: God the Father in Medieval York." International Congress on Medieval Studies. Kalamazoo, Mich., May 9. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2008
"A City for All the Faithful: Representations of the City of God in Two Canterbury Manuscripts of Augustine's De Civitate Dei." International Medieval Congress. University of Leeds. Leeds, United Kingdom, July 12. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2007
Professional Leadership
Co-convener, with Prof. Brian Sowers, Fragments of Experience conference (on lived religion in late antique and early medieval culture), June 5-6 2023. To attend, email laurenmancia@brooklyn.cuny.edu. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2023
Co-chair, Columbia University Seminar in Affect Studies, 2014-present. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2022
Member, Executive Committee, CARA (Medieval Acadamy of America's Committee on Centers and Regional Associations), 2022-26
(Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2022
Member, Medieval Academy of America K-12 Committee. 2022-25 (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2022
Other Professional Activities
"Lilith: Part Four, on the Divine Feminine," The Oldest Profession Podcast, with Dr. Charlene Fletcher (BC MA in History, '14). https://theoldestprofessionpodcast.com/lilith/, 23 December. 2020
Featured guest on four History Café podcasts (out of Marlboro College, Marlboro, Vt.): "History Café Visits the Met I: The Cloisters' Gothic Chapel"; "History Café Visits the Met II: Medieval Mysticism"; "History Café Visits the Met III: Archeological Reconstruction"; and "Affective Piety with Lauren Mancia." Listen here for free: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-history-cafe/id701289889?mt=2. 2015