As director of the 38th Annual Haskins Society Conference, I am delighted to welcome you to Chapel Hill. The University of North Carolina has long been an active center for the study of the Middle Ages, and in recent years this tradition has been continued by our Medieval and Early Modern Studies [MEMS] program. In addition, we medievalists regularly collaborate with colleagues in our partner institutions in the Triangle area, Duke and NC State.

Events on Thursday 7 November

In conjunction with UNC’s Medieval and Early Modern Studies [MEMS] program, we are holding two events to complement the conference program. Both events are in Hamilton Hall, which is on the main UNC campus, within easy walking distance of the principal conference venue.

In the afternoon Charity Urbanski (University of Washington) will lead a seminar for [post]graduate students. In the early evening she will deliver a lecture, as part of MEMS’s Dorothy Ford Wiley Crossroads Lecture series, on “Monsters in Anglo-Norman Historiography.”  Full details of the time and location will be posted soon.

Thursday Evening Gathering

The traditional informal get-together for delegates on Thursday evening will be at Vecino Brewing Co, beginning around 8:00. Vecino is set back from East Main St. in Carrboro, between the Arts Center and Cat's Cradle. It is very close to the conference hotel, a few moments' walk. For those of you who attended last year’s conference, Vecino is  the place where we gathered in 2018.

Saturday Reception

There will a reception for all delegates, hosted by the Society, on Saturday evening (9 November) between 6:45 and 8:00. This will take place in Hyde Hall's Incubator Room, which is on the upper floor.

Travel to Chapel Hill

The conference hotel has very good parking should you wish to come by car. The nearest airport is Raleigh-Durham International (RDU). In addition to numerous domestic connections, there are daily flights from London Heathrow and Paris CDG. In Terminal 2 (the destination for almost all flights arriving at RDU), the taxi rank is situated to the left as one exits the lower level, i.e., the baggage claim area. A taxi ride to Chapel Hill costs about $44.  Uber averages about $32. In good traffic, the journey to Chapel Hill takes 15-20 minutes.

Venue

The conference venue for Friday and Saturday (8-9 Nov) will be Hyde Hall, the home of UNC’s Institute for the Arts and Humanities. Hyde Hall is located in McCorkle Place, the university’s “front lawn” adjacent to E. Franklin Street, the principal strip for restaurants and stores in Chapel Hill. 

The hotel is a 15-minute walk to Hyde Hall. Parking close to Hyde Hall is limited and expensive for anything more than short stays.

The conference venue on Sunday 10 November will be the Smith Room in the Hampton Inn & Suites. The Smith Room is on the first [ground] floor, to the rear of the building beyond the lobby and breakfast area. Delegates whose travel arrangements require them to leave before the conclusion of the conference are advised to check out before the first session; there will be ample space at the back of the Smith Room to leave one’s luggage.

Chapel Hill as a Destination

The axis between our main venue and the conference hotel is W. and E. Franklin Street, meaning that you will have occasion to pass most of Chapel Hill’s many restaurants and bars. In addition, Carrboro, Chapel Hill’s sister town and the location of the hotel, is well known for its lively and eclectic mix of destinations. Look under our Local Info tab above for a comprehensive list of the restaurants and watering holes in Chapel Hill-Carrboro (with thanks to Allison Gose for compiling this very helpful document).

7-10 November 2019

Registration will open in the early Fall. The Early Bird Discount will run till 25 October!

Featured Speakers

• Jean-François Nieus (Namur)
• Fiona Griffiths (Stanford)
• Simon Yarrow (Birmingham)

Thursday Extras (7 Nov)

Graduate Seminar on Historical Writing

Dorothy Ford Wiley Crossroads Lecture (5:30)

Mock Interviews: Also on Thursday, as part of the Society's ongoing commitment to aiding graduate students, we will continue our tradition of hosting mock job interviews by senior scholars.

Venue

Thursday: Hamilton 569

Friday-Saturday: Hyde Hall (McCorkle Place)

Sunday: Conference Hotel

New Research Forum

See the full program for a preview of these Friday morning "flash sessions" on up-and-coming scholarship.

Financial Support

Thanks to decades of ongoing generosity by members, the Keefe Fund continues to offset graduate expenses. 

Bethell Prize

Papers by graduate students, untenured faculty, and independent scholars are eligible for the Denis Bethell Prize.