Project description
Twinning approach for Byzantine and Western medieval arts and rituals
Cyprus was an important centre of both the Byzantine and Western medieval worlds, which cooperated closely for many centuries. However, the ritual origins and functions of Byzantine and Western arts remain undetermined among scholars. To fill this knowledge gap, the EU-funded NetMAR project will aim for a new, combined attitude in studies on the interaction of medieval arts with rituals based on twinning potentials. It will facilitate a collaboration between the University of Cyprus and advanced partners in order to introduce new concepts of ritual, ritualisation and performance. The aim is to enhance the field of medieval studies and bring visual arts, literature and performance art together. NetMAR will produce a plethora of scientific activities that will bring new benefits to culture and tourism.
Objective
Even though it is a cliché that most Byzantine arts originated in, for and as rituals, scholars largely neglect their ritual origins and functions. Medievalists tend to treat visual, literary and performing arts as distinct from each other. In the medieval world, however, these arts were often combined to produce effective rituals. Recognizing the importance of considering these three arts together, NetMAR will use the concepts of “ritual”, “ritualization” and “performance” to bring together all types of Byzantine arts under one roof. Given the importance of Cyprus within the Byzantine and Western medieval worlds, NetMAR will use the same approach for Western medieval arts where they coexisted and interacted with their Byzantine counterparts. Building on twinning’s huge potential for knowledge transfer, training and exchange of best practices between the three partnering institutions, NetMAR will work towards filling the networking gaps and deficiencies between UCY and its advanced partners in the field of Medieval Studies. NetMAR will also have a dedicated focus towards both promoting the involvement of female and male ESRs in the coordinating institution and strengthening its research management and grant writing skills. Furthermore, NetMAR will participate in the production of new tools and services that will benefit the tourism and culture industry, along with other interested stakeholders and public authorities. The collaboration of the three partners, which mainly aims at strengthening the abilities, networks, skills and knowledge of UCY, will be performed within the framework of a number of CSA including: staff exchanges, expert visits, webinars, workshops, conferences and a summer school, as well as dissemination and outreach activities. These CSA will enable UCY to produce high-impact publications, establish an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed and open access scholarly journal, and create a critical mass of highly qualified young scholars of both sexes.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.4.b. - Twinning of research institutions Main Programme
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinator
1678 Nicosia
Cyprus