Durham University

Graduate Student, Archaeology

Other Affiliations: University College London, Institute of Archaeology

PhD Student

Hild-Bede

Thesis Title: Disability and difference? Assessing social perceptions of physical impairment in Roman Britain.

About

Following a BA in Classical and Historical Archaeology (2009) from the University of Sheffield (where he received both the Jennifer Derwent Prize in Archaeology and the Emily Willey Prize in Archaeology and Prehistory) and an AHRC-Funded MA in Archaeology from UCL (2010) in which he was awarded to Bryan Clauson prize for Roman Archaeology, William received an AHRC grant to undertake doctoral research at Durham University. His research looks at the burial treatment (including deviant burial practices), grave good provision and evidence for care of impaired individuals in the late Roman period in Britain. This data is placed in the wider sociological background of the Social Model of Disability as a means to examine societal perceptions of ill health and to allow for better differentiations to be made between the archaeological fact of physical impairment in the past and potential ensuing social disability. Within this William is also interested in iconographic depictions and literary sources relating to disability and ill-health across the Roman world.

More widely, William maintains interests in Roman archaeology and art primarily of the western provinces, archaeological theory (esp. in relation to the body and mortuary behaviour), Disability Studies and Anglo-Saxon burial customs.

DEPARTMENTAL RESEARCH GROUPS/PROJECTS
Durham Roman Studies Group.
Ritual, Religion, Belief and Place.
Bioarchaeology.
Health, diet and living environment in the Roman Empire: the skeletal and funerary evidence.

TEACHING
- I am a tutor on the 1st year undergraduate modules 'Introduction to Archaeology' and 'Roman Empire to Nation State'.
- Lectured in the PGR 1st Year Enhancement Workshops.
- Lectured for the MsC Palaeopathology Research talks series.

ACTIVITIES
- Volunteer assistant at Durham County Council HER.
- Volunteer assistant for the Archaeology department's contribution to the Durham University 'Celebrate Science' outreach event.
- Member of the College of St. Hild and St. Bede Post-Graduate Committee.
- Member of organising committee for the Durham Bioarchaeology PG conference (March 2012)
- Member of the Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference (TRAC) standing committee for 2011-2014.
- Co-coordinator (with Lindsay Powell, Department of Archaeology, Durham University) of the Research Dialogue and Conference 'Care in the Past: Archaeological and Interdisciplinary Perspectives (September 2012)

Contact Information