The term « pragmatic literacy » is employed primarily, although not exclusively, to describe texts and documents that emerged following the increase in writing during the 11th and 12th centuries. This field of research focuses on documents and manuscripts produced in judicial or administrative contexts as well as for the transaction of business. Furthermore, it covers a comprehensive overview of the full spectrum of document production, encompassing their materiality, copying and archival handling of documents, and so forth. Additionally, a more comprehensive analysis was conducted to examine the political, social, and administrative practices and requirements that could influence not only the production of texts in general, but also their form and content.

The workshop employs Clanchy’s phases of « Making – Using – Keeping » to evaluate the significance of the documents for various actors and to delineate and analyse the consequences this had for the evolution of the documents. Based on case studies we will discuss whether “pragmatic literacy” can be developed into an interdisciplinary research paradigm that is capable of analysing the complexity of documentary writing practices.

Programme :

Monday, September 30th

9.15–10.00 Welcome (Andrea Stieldorf)
Introduction (Benoît Tock)

Section 1: Keeping and Using. Bringing Charters in a Book. The Process of Selection
Moderation: Claes Geyrot, Stockholm

10.00–10.45 : Philipp Wollmann, Munich: An Administrative Approach on Pragmatic Literacy. Curial Charters and Their Registration Especially at the Apostolic Penitentiary
10.45–11.15 Coffee break

11.15–12.00 : Diego Belmonte Fernandez, Sevilla: A Method and a Case Study. How to Approach the
Analysis of Pragmatic Literacy in Seville Cathedral (13th – 15th Centuries)
12.00–12.45 : Naemi Winter, Bonn: Administration and Annotation. The Werden Chartularies
12.45–14.15 Lunch break

Section 2: Keeping and Using. Charters in Different Types of Books
Moderation: Ignasi Baiges Jardí, Barcelona

14.15–15.00 : Guillermo Fernandez Ortiz, Oviedo: From the Medieval Cartulary to the Early Modern Becerro in Castilian Cistercian Monasteries
15.00–14.15 : Ludovica Invernizzi, Milano: Comparing Municipal and Ecclesiastical Documentary Collections. The case of Como (Late 13th – 14th Centuries)
16.00–16.15 Coffee break

Section 3: Making and Using. The Increasing Importance of Form
Moderation: Andrea Stieldorf, Bonn

16.15–17.00 : Paul Bertrand, Louvain/ Antonella Ghignoli, Roma, La Sapienza: Essai de diplomatique comparée. Les actes « doubles » au nord et au sud de l’Europe médiévale
17.00–17.45 : Ricardo Seabra, Lisboa: Notarial Diplomatics Across Borders: A Comparison Between Northern Portugal and North-West Spain in the Middle Ages
18.15 : Kathrin Chlench-Priber, Bonn: Affordance as a Concept for the Exploration of
Pragmatic Texts of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period

Tuesday, October 1st

Section 4: Making and Using. The Influence of the Recipients
Moderation: Christina Cunha, Porto

9.00–9.45: Georges Declerq, Brussels: The Pragmatic Literacy of Ordinary People. The Charters for Women and their Children from the Archives of St Peter’s Abbey, Ghent
9.45–10.30 : Falco van der Schueren, Ghent: Form Follows Function. Using the Formality of
Legal Acts as a Benchmark for Voluntary or Non-Contentious Jurisdiction in Late Medieval Hainaut.
10.30–11.00 Coffee Break

11.00–11.45 : Jaume Marce Sanchez, Barcelona: Notarial Activity and Charity Economy. An Approach to the Integration of Notaries in Late Medieval Hospitals
11.45–12.30 : Marî a Luisa Domînguez Guerrero, Sevilla: « Notarial Registries in Castille. An Example of Pragmatic Literature »
12.30 : Pragmatic Literacy for All? An Interdisciplinary Discussion (Mark Mersiowsky, Kathrin Chlench-Priber, Markus Spath, Timothy Salemme)

Informations pratiques :

Sept. 30th – Oct. 1st 2024
in Bonn

Registration:
Registration until September 7th 2024

Location:
Festsaal der Universita t Bonn,
Regina-Pacis-Weg 3, D-53113 Bonn
(1. Obergeschoss)
Organiser:
Prof. Dr. Andrea Stieldorf, Bonn University

Contact:
Diana Sünberg
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universita t Bonn
Institut fu r Geschichtswissenschaft
Abt. f. Hist. Grundwissenschaften und Archivkunde
Konviktstr. 11, D-53113 Bonn
Tel.: +49 228 / 73 – 50 31
E-Mail: gruwi-sekretariat@uni-bonn.de