Academic Activities
Recapping the World History Seminar “Population Decline in the Early Medieval West: Causes and Significance” on 25 September 2024
Prof. Shane BOBRYCKI, from the Department of History, The University of Iowa, was invited by the Centre for Comparative and Public History to deliver a lecture entitled “Population Decline in the Early Medieval West: Causes and Significance” on September 25, 2024. The speaker explored the dramatic demographic decline in Western Europe from the 5th to the 10th century, emphasizing the evidence, causes, and effects of this profound transformation. Utilizing a combination of written sources and archaeological data, Prof. BOBRYCKI illustrated the stark reduction and contraction of inhabited sites across Europe following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. He identified several intertwined factors contributing to this demographic collapse, including diseases, endemic warfare, migration patterns, climate change, and shifts in reproductive behaviors. The lecture highlighted how these declines affected societal complexity and everyday life, suggesting that a thinner population could enhance the capabilities of certain social classes, particularly peasants, by reducing lordly interference. Prof. BOBRYCKI concluded that understanding demographic changes requires a nuanced approach that considers the lived experiences behind the statistics, moving beyond broad narratives to uncover the diverse realities faced by individuals in early medieval society.
Upcoming Events
World History Seminar (2024-25)
| Date: | 8 October 2024 (Tuesday) |
| Time: | 5:00pm-6:30pm |
| Venue: | Conducted online via ZOOM (Webinar ID: 982 9976 4121) |
| Topic: | The King’s High Court: The Early Parliaments of Henry VIII, 1510–1523 |
| Speaker: | Prof. Jonathon MCGOVERN College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Xiamen University |
| Language: | English |
Organisers: Centre for Comparative and Public History, Department of History, CUHK
Enquiry: 3943 8541
CUHK History Day 2024
| Date: | 9 November 2024 (Saturday) |
| Time: | 10:00am-12:00nn |
| Venue: | G/F, Yasumoto International Academic Park, CUHK |
| Language: | Cantonese |
Please click here for details and online registration.
For enquiries, please call at 3943 7117.
Yu Ying-shih Lecture in History 2024/25
To enhance academic and cultural exchange, Chung Chi College, New Asia College and the Department of History of the University joined hands in 2007 to establish the “Yu Ying-shih Lecture in History”. This year, Professor Dorothy KO, Professor of History, Barnard College of Columbia University, has been invited as the guest speaker of the following two public lectures:
| Date: | 9 November 2024 (Saturday) |
| Time: | 3:00pm |
| Venue: | Lecture Hall, G/F, Hong Kong Museum of History |
| Moderator: | Prof. HE Xi Department of History, CUHK |
| Language: | Cantonese |
| Remarks: | 139 seats, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Audience will be admitted 15 minutes before the lecture starts. |
Participation in person or online via ZOOM is welcome.
For registration, please complete the online registration form on or before 4 November 2024.
For enquiries, please call at 3943 1585.
For teachers and students who have information to share with the Department, please email your articles in both Chinese and English to chanfiona@cuhk.edu.hk by 4:00pm every Monday.
