SSNS Seminar – (The) Animal Matters: exploring multidisciplinary approaches to animal-human relationships in the medieval north

Dr Harriet Jean Evans Tang

Abstract

(The) Animal Matters: exploring multidisciplinary approaches to animal-human relationships in the medieval north

In this presentation Dr Harriet will discuss her recently published book Animal-Human Relationships in Medieval Iceland. This multi-disciplinary investigation of the links between people and animals, in reality and representation examines the domestic animals of early Iceland in their physical and textual contexts.
Through detailed analysis of the spaces and places of the Icelandic farm and farming landscape, and textual sources such as The Book of Settlements, the earliest Icelandic laws, and various episodes from the Sagas and Tales of Icelanders, her multidisciplinary approach to animal-human relationships, sees animals not solely as symbols, metaphors, or objects – but as subjects in affective relationships with their human co-settlers who become the focus of intense exploration, delight, anxiety and condemnation in later textual narratives.

She will also discuss the development of taking this approach to the history of predator-human relationships, looking specifically at bears in the medieval northern world.

Bio

Dr Harriet Evans Tang is a researcher currently working on the project: “Bears and bearskins in the medieval North: Human-bear relationships at the intersection between Old Norse literature, laws, placenames and archaeology in Fennoscandia”, funded by the Lars Hellberg Memorial fund from the Royal Gustavus Adolphus Academy for Swedish Folk Culture.

She is affiliated with both the University of York and Durham University, and specialises in animal-human relations in Old Norse literature and archaeology. Her book Animal-Human Relationships in Medieval Iceland is available now from Boydell & Brewer. When she’s not researching, she works as a Research Administrator at the Department of Health Sciences, University of York facilitating other peoples’ research.