Medieval History Lecture Series #1 - The Abbots, the Monks, and the Cheese: How the Modern Concepts of Standards and Standardization Provide a Conceptual Framework for Investigating our Past

Standardization serves as a powerful tool for understanding medieval history by providing a framework for comparing and analyzing various historical phenomena. Standardization allows for the identification of patterns, trends, and deviations, enabling researchers to draw meaningful conclusions about the past. In this lecture, we will look at the use of standardization as understood in the fields of engineering and sociology to look at things like weights and measures, coinage, language, and monastic law (outlining daily routines, duties, and disciplinary measures) to understand the formation of a unified cultural identity in Early Medieval England.

Dr. Daniel O'Gorman received his PhD in Medieval History from Loyola University Chicago in 2015. Dan is Faculty Fellow in the History Department at Pacific Lutheran University where he teaches courses on the ancient and medieval world, global history and issues, and American history.