If you go to the movies, or turn on your TV, you’ll find it hard to avoid the medieval fantasy genre. With its castles and fortresses, cloaks and crowns, and even dungeons and dragons.

The stories are fantastical but of course, fictional in their portrayal of medieval Europe and the Islamic Golden Age.

But how can a better understanding of what actually happened, in a rapidly changing Europe and Middle East, 500 to 1,000 years ago, help us navigate complexities in the world today?

GUESTS:

• Dr Michael Barbezat, Research Fellow in Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the Australian Catholic University.
• Dr Miles Pattenden, Senior Research Fellow in Medieval Studies, also at ACU.
• Dr Mahsheed Ansari, Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation, Charles Sturt University. 

This program was first broadcast in October 2023