Global medieval scholars to gather at Western for 2025 International Congress
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—More than 2,000 medieval scholars from around the world will convene on Western Michigan University’s Main Campus Thursday through Saturday, May 8-10, for the 60th meeting of the International Congress on Medieval Studies.
This year, the layout of the congress includes the WMU Student Center and Sangren Hall, Waldo Library, Kanley Chapel and the Gilmore Theatre Complex.
Congress sessions include those on papers, roundtables, poster sessions, workshops, demonstrations and performances. The event continues to be held in a hybrid format, including 334 traditional in-person sessions, 131 virtual sessions and 90 hybrid sessions, which make it possible for in-person and virtual speakers and audiences to interact.
A selection of virtual and hybrid sessions will be recorded and posted on the congress meeting site and made available for viewing by registrants on the Monday following the congress. The plenary lectures and the “Reception of the Classics” lecture will be broadcast live.
“The congress is a place for all medievalists. No matter what they study, who they are or where they come from, we welcome them to Kalamazoo for scholarship and fellowship,” says Dr. Robert F. Berkhofer III, director of the WMU Medieval Institute.
The Exhibits Hall, located on the second floor of the student center, showcases a diverse international selection of academic presses, artisans, used booksellers and purveyors of medieval sundries. Other special events include concerts, plays, library exhibits and the annual Saturday evening dance.
“Reception of the Classics” lecture
Dr. Anthony Kaldellis
Kaldellis of University of Chicago is speaking on "East Rome and the Shaping of the Greek Classical Canon" on Thursday, May 8, at 7 p.m. in Room 1910 of Sangren Hall.
Plenary lectures
Dr. Haruko Momma
Momma of New York University is speaking on "Intersectional Onomastics in Medieval Studies: Terms, Terminology and Theories of Naming" on Friday, May 9, at 8:30 a.m. in Room 1910 of Sangren Hall.
Dr. Dawn Hadley
Hadley of University of York is speaking on "The Viking Great Army and its Legacy" on Saturday, May 10, at 8:30 a.m. in Room 1910 of Sangren Hall.
More to explore
The Mostly Medieval Theatre Festival is staging the play “The Book of Silence,” a co-production of the WMU School of Theatre and Dance and the WMU Medieval Institute. In a new contemporary adaptation, Dr. Lofty Durham, professor of theatre, and collaborator Wally M. Cornell, artist-in-residence and emerging scholar on queer and trans medievalisms, embed the medieval adventure story of the knight who becomes a man in order to inherit his lands and title within a modern frame story of a trans teen searching for their place in the world. Tickets will go on sale exclusively through congress registration for the first two performances, Friday, May 9, and Saturday, May 10.
Other special events on Thursday, May 8, include a SoundWalk sponsored by The Digital Analysis of Chant Transmission; “Discussion, Interpretation and Study of Textile Arts, Fabrics and Fashion”; and “The Epic Enigma of Beowulf: Riddling the Grendel Episode, A Performance.”
“Mining the Collections” returns with lunchtime virtual visits to medieval objects held in the Wyvern Research Institute in London and the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies at University of Pennsylvania. View schedule of events
Secure your spot
Anyone with a WMU email address can register for free, and any city of Kalamazoo resident can register for a discounted price of $25. Other registration rates are based on annual income. Find information, costs and register
Advance registration closes Sunday, April 20. Continuing registration for those attending the congress in person is available through the end of the congress but is subject to a $50 late fee. Continuing registration for those attending the congress online is available through Saturday, May 31, when recorded sessions and other content are removed from the meeting site. The late fee does not apply for online attendees.
The 61st International Congress on Medieval Studies takes place Thursday, May 14, through Saturday, May 16, 2026; and the 62nd International Congress is scheduled for Thursday, May 13, through Saturday, May 15, 2027.
For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.