Peter Lionel Larson

History Department

University of Central Florida

Post Office Box 161350

Orlando, Florida 32816-1350

Telephone: 407-823-6466       Fax: 407-823-3184

Email: Peter.Larson@ucf.edu              Webpage: http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~plarson

                                   

 

Employment

 

2011 - present  Associate Professor, History Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.

2006 - 2011     Assistant Professor, History Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.

2004 - 2006     Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of History, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH.

2002                Adjunct Instructor, History Department, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey,

(summer)         New Brunswick, NJ.

 

 

Administrative Experience

 

2010 – present Graduate Director, History Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL.

 

 

Education

 

2004                Ph.D. in History, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ.

2000                M.A. in Medieval History, University of Durham, Durham, UK.

1998                M.A. in Medieval History, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

1995                B.A. in History and Classics (Latin), College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA.

 

 

RESEARCH

 

Publications

 

Monographs:

Conflict and Compromise in the Late Medieval Countryside: Lords and Peasants in Durham, 1349 to

            1400 (Routledge, August 30, 2006).

 

Articles and Essays:

“Peasant Opportunities in Rural Durham: Land, Vills and Mills, 1349-1500,” in Commerical Activity,

            Markets and Entrepreneurs in the Middle Ages: Essays in Honour of Richard Britnell, ed. by

            Ben Dodds and Christian D. Liddy (Boydell & Brewer, October, 2011), pp. 141-164.

 

“Village Voice or Village Oligarchy? The Jurors of the Durham Halmote Court, 1349-1424,” in Law and

            History Review 28:3 (2010): 675-709.

 

“Rural transformation in northern England: village communities of Durham, 1340-1440,” in Agriculture

            and Rural Society after the Black Death: Common Themes and Regional Variations, ed. by

            Richard Britnell and Benjamin Dodds (University of Hertfordshire, September 2008), pp. 99-114.

 

“Local Law Courts in Late Medieval Durham,” in North-East England in the Later Middle Ages, ed.

By Richard Britnell and Christian Liddy (Boydell & Brewer, October 2005), pp. 97-117.

 

Encyclopedia Entries:

“The Diggers,” Online Content for The International Encyclopedia of Revolution and Protest: 1500 to the

            present, ed. by Immanuel Ness (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009) http://www.revolutionprotestencyclopedia.com

 

Book Reviews:

Review of Max Lieberman, The Medieval March of Wales: The Creation and Perception of a Frontier,

            1066-1283 (Cambridge, 2010) in The Canadian Journal of History 46:1 (2011) (forthcoming).

 

Review of Sherri Olson, A Mute Gospel: The People and Culture of the Medieval English Common Fields

            (Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 2009) in The American Historical Review 115:5

            (2010): 1510-1511.

 

Review of Robert W. Barrett, Jr., Against All England: Regional Identity and Cheshire Writing, 1195-

            1656 (University of Notre Dame Press, 2009) in The Sixteenth Century Journal 41:4 (2010):

            1276-1278.

 

Review of Piety and Plague: From Byzantium to the Baroque, ed. by Franco Mormando and Thomas

            Worcester (Truman State University Press, 2007) in The Canadian Journal of History 44:3

 (2009): 499-501.

 

Review of Anne Reiber DeWindt and Edwin Breezette DeWindt, Ramsey: The Lives of an English

            Fenland Town, 1200-1600 (Catholic University of America Press, 2006) in Speculum 82:2

 (2007): 422-424.

 

Review of John Langdon, Mills in the Medieval Economy: England, 1300 to 1540 (Oxford University

            Press, 2004) in the Journal of British Studies 45:1 (2006): 141-142.

 

Review of Samuel Cohn, Jr., Popular Protest in Late Medieval Europe: Italy, France, and Flanders

            (Manchester University Press, 2004) in Perspicuitas (posted 12 July 2005, at

http://www.perspicuitas.uni-essen.de/rezens/rezlarson.pdf).

 

 

Works in Progress

From Reformation to Restoration: The Social and Economic Transformations of a Northeastern Parish,

            1399-1660.   A study of the ways in which England’s transition from the late Middle Ages to the

            early modern period played out at the local level.  I am using legal and economic records to

            reconstruct the demography and socio-politic networks of three villages from Bishop Middleham

            Parish, County Durham, to explore how they fared during this tumultuous period.

 

The Courts of Medieval Durham to 1536: A study of the legal history of County Durham in relation to its

            status as a county palatine before Henry VIII began resuming its jurisdictions back into royal

            control.  This will be a substantive scholarly study accompanied by a critical edition of illustrative

            court records and other documents.

 

with Dr. Simon Harris, critical edition of Bishop Thomas Hatfield’s survey of the Bishopric of Durham

            (manuscript SC 12/21/28, The National Archives, Kew, London, UK).

 

 

Grants and Awards

2010                In-House Research Grant, College of Arts & Humanities and Office of Research &

                        Commercialization, University of Central Florida.  $4,410.00.

 

2009                Learning Institute For Elders @ UCF, Inc., $1,350.00 for the “Building Blocks” Public

                        History project, RICHES (Research Initiative to Collect the Histories, Experiences, and

                        Stories) of Central Florida, History Department, UCF.  Lead grant writer.

 

2009                British Academy/Huntington Library joint short-term Fellowship for study in Great

                        Britain.  £1,350.00.

 

2009                Pauley Endowment Travel Award, History Department, UCF.  $1,500.00

 

2006                Research Recognition Award, College of Arts & Humanities, UCF.

 

2005                Faculty Development Grant, Kenyon College.  $1,579.00.

 

2002                Travel Bursary, “North-East England in the Late Middle Ages” Conference, Arts and

                        Humanities Research Board Centre for North-East England History.  £500.00.

 

1999-2000       Graduate Research and Travel Grants, Department of History, Rutgers.

2000-2001

 

1999-2003       Ph.D. Fellowship and Teaching Assistantship, Rutgers.

 

1998                Research Bursary, Department of History, University of Durham.  £1,000.00.

 

1996-1998       Roy M. DeFerraro Memorial Ph.D. Fellowship, Catholic University of America.

 

 

Conference Papers

“The King, the Bishop, the Saint, and the Law: The Origins of the Palatinate of Durham Revisited,” 36th

            Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Medieval Association, Roanoke, VA, November 2010.

 

“‘The Bishop of Durham’s Widows’: Widowhood, Inheritance, and Household (re)Formation in

            Northeast England, 1349-1660” North American Conference on British Studies Annual Meeting,

            Baltimore, MD, November 2010.

 

Organized panel, “Threat, Icon, Opportunity: Views of Widows in British Society,” for the North

            American Conference on British Studies Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, November 2010.

 

  “Protest, Resistance, and Rebellion: Approaches to Disorder in Rural England,” part of a panel sponsored

            by the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Durham University, at the 44th International

            Conference on Medieval Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, May 2009.

 

“The Bishops and the Law: The Adoption of Common Law in the Palatinate of Durham to 1536,” part of

            a panel sponsored by the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Durham University, at the

            43rd International Conference on Medieval Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo,

            MI, May 2008.

 

“Sports, Games, and the Changing Fear of Disorder in County Durham, 1377 to 1504,” Mid-Atlantic

            British Studies Conference, University of Maryland-Baltimore Campus, March 2008.

 

“Seigniorial Authority and Village Politics in Late Medieval Durham,” IXth Anglo-American Seminar

            on the Medieval Economy and Society, Lincoln, UK, July 2007.

 

“People and Justice in the Manorial Courts of Northern England,” International Medieval Congress,

            University of Leeds, UK, July 2006.

 

Organized panel, “Manor and Society in Later Medieval England: New Perspectives, One Hundred Years

            after Maitland,” for the International Medieval Congress, University of Leeds, UK, July 2006.

 

“‘Business as Usual?’ Coping with the Black Death in England, 1348 to 1400” 19th Annual Medieval-

            Renaissance Conference, University of Virginia at Wise, September 2005.

 

“Struggling Together: Peasant Violence in Durham, England, 1370-1400,” 40th International Conference

            on Medieval Studies, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, May 2005.

 

“Maintenance, Rebellion, and Disorder in Late Medieval England: The Peasants of Durham Priory,”

            29th Annual Mid-American Medieval Association Conference, University of Missouri-Kansas

            City, 26 February, 2005.

 

“Writers, Rebels, and Heretics: ‘Bone Governaunce’ and the Limits of Rebellion in England, 1348-1417,”

            25th Annual Warren I. Susman Memorial Graduate Student Conference, Rutgers - New

            Brunswick, NJ, April 2003.

 

“The Bishop of Durham’s Widows: A Failed Attempt at Seignorial Exploitation After the Black Death,”

            Mid-Atlantic British Studies Conference, Rutgers - New Brunswick, NJ, March 2003.

 

Organized panel, “Oppression and Resistance in Late Medieval England,” for the Mid-Atlantic

            British Studies Conference, Rutgers - New Brunswick, NJ, March 2003.

 

“Local Law Courts in the Later Middle Ages,” North-East England in the Late Middle Ages Conference,

            organized by the Arts and Humanities Research Board Centre for North-East England History,

            Durham University, UK, July 2002.

 

 “Wealth and Geography in Northern England: Settlements between Highland and Lowland Zones in

            Medieval Northumberland,” 23rd Annual Warren I. Susman Memorial Graduate Student

            Conference, Rutgers - New Brunswick, NJ, April 2001.

 

 

Other Presentations:

“Freedom and Unfreedom in England at the End of the Middle Ages,” to the Faculty Seminar, Kenyon

            College, Gambier, OH, October 2004.

 

“Freedom and Serfdom in Late Medieval Durham,” to the Medieval North East Seminar Group,

University of Durham, UK, March 2002.

 

 

Languages

Latin (Classical and Medieval): Excellent ability, with paleographical, editing, and textual criticism skills.

            Certification: passed Ph.D. level examination in Medieval Latin, Centre for Medieval

            Studies, University of Toronto, September 2000.

French (Old, Anglo-Norman, and Modern): Good reading ability.

Middle English: Good reading ability.

Italian and Spanish: Fair reading ability.

 

 

TEACHING

 

Grants and Awards

2011                Teaching Incentive Program (TIP) Award, University of Central Florida. $5000.00

                        increase to base salary.

 

2009                University Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award, University of Central Florida.

 

2009                Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award, College of Arts & Humanities, UCF.

 

2009                Innovative Teaching and Learning Grant, Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning,

                        UCF (with Dr. Amelia Lyons and Dr. John Sacher, History Department).  $1,000.00.

 

 

Courses Taught

 

University of Central Florida, Undergraduate:

EUH2000H      Honors Western Civilization I

EUH3122        Medieval Society and Civilization

EUH3124        The Crusades

EUH3142        Renaissance and Reformation

EUH4500        English History to 1485

EUH4501        English History 1485 to 1815

EUH4674H      Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar: Sport & Society in the Ancient World

HIS3905          Independent Study:      Atlantic Maritime History (spring 2009)

                                                            Imperial Spain (summer 2009)

                                                            Early Medieval England (summer 2009)

                                                            Late Medieval England (spring 2011)

 

 

University of Central Florida, Graduate:

EUH5546        Colloquium in British History: Late Medieval England (spring 2007)

EUH5546        Colloquium in British History: Early Modern Britain (fall 2007)

EUH5546        Colloquium in British History: British Empire (summer 2009)

EUH5546        Colloquium in British History: English Society, 1200-1800 (fall 2010)

EUH5546        Colloquium in British History: Early British Empire (summer 2011)

EUH5907        Independent Study: Politics & Religion in Tudor England (fall 2008)

EUH6809        Independent Study Seminar:    Scottish Military History (fall 2008)

EUH6809        Independent Study Seminar:    Elizabeth I (spring 2009)

EUH6809        Independent Study Seminar:    Tudor England (fall 2009)

EUH6939        Seminar in British History: Early Modern Britain (spring 2008)

EUH6939        Seminar in British History: British Social History (spring 2011)

 

 

Kenyon College, Undergraduate:

History 126      The Early Middle Ages

History 127      The Later Middle Ages

History 131      Early Modern Europe

History 186      First Year Seminar: The Crusades

History 186      First Year Seminar:  Medieval Women

History 228      Medieval England

History 234      Medieval Kings and Queens

History 326      Heresy and Magic

History 493      Independent Study: Crime in Medieval England (fall 2005)

 

 

Rutgers – New Brunswick, Undergraduate:

English 355:101 Expository Writing

History 510:101 Development of Europe I

 

 

Thesis Supervision

 

UCF Master’s Theses, History Department:

Christie Schneck, “Continuing Themes from Popular Entertainment through Pamphlets and Newsbooks

            in England, 1580-1600,” 2009-present.

 

Scott Hilderbrandt, “The Highland Soldier in Georgia and Florida: A Case Study of Scottish Highlanders

            in British Military Service, 1739-1748,” 2009-2010.

 

Jessica Hoeschen, “The English Reformation in Image and Print: Cultural Continuity, Disruptions, and

            Communications in Tudor Art,” 2009-2010.

 

Melissa Perez, “Vibia Perpetua’s Diary: A Woman’s Voice in a Roman Text of Its Own,” 2007-2009.

 

Lindsey McNellis, “‘Let Her Be Taken’: Sexual Violence in Medieval England,” 2007-2008.

 

 

UCF Master’s Thesis, Interdisciplinary Studies:

Nicole Hill, “‘Bloudy Tygresses’: Murderous Women in Early Modern English Drama and Popular

            Literature.”  2009.  (Became committee chair in spring 2009.)

 

UCF Honors in the Major Theses:

Brandon Raphael, [title TBD; topic: English Foreign Politics and the Divorce of Henry VIII and

            Catherine of Aragon].  History Department, 2010-present.

 

Lisa Rome, “Settling Differences: A Comparative Study of Yorkshire and East Anglia, Focusing on the

            Scandinavian Influences on Place Names and Coins,” History Department, 2009-2010.

 

Jessica King, “Castration and Heresy in Medieval France,” History Department, 2009-2010.

 

Christopher Mielke, “A Reanalysis of the role of Philippa of Lancaster, Queen of Portugal, in the

            Expedition to Ceuta, 1415,” History Department, 2007-2008.

 

Kenyon College Honors Theses:

Kate Flinner, “Eulogius of Cordoba: Women and Hagiography,” Department of History, 2006.  Awarded

            High Honors.

 

Catherine Papai, “Understanding of Loss: Exile, Convivencia, and Poetic Visions,” Department of

            History, 2005.  Awarded High Honors.

 

Thesis Examination

 

External examiner for Matthew Baber, “Revenge, Retribution, and the Apocalypse: John Foxe and the

            English Protestant Ethos.”  Honors thesis, University of South Florida – Sarasota-Manatee,

            12/2010.

 

External examiner for David Genualdi, “Utopia Realized: King Utopus’ Policy of Religious Toleration

            and Thomas More’s Persecution of Heretics.”  Honors thesis, University of South Florida –

            Sarasota-Manatee, 12/2010.

 

 

 

SERVICE

 

University of Central Florida

 

History Department:

2010 - present              Graduate Director

2010 - 2011                 Chair, South/Southeast Asian Search Committee

2010 - 2011                 Digital History Search Committee

2010 - 2011                 Program Assistant Search Committee

2010                            Chair, Visiting Assistant Professor Search Committee (Early American Republic)

2009                            Chair, Visiting Assistant Professor Search Committee (Early Modern Europe)

2009 - present              Graduate Program Assessment Coordinator

2008                            Permanent Instructor (online) Search Committee

2007 - 2008                 Promotion and Tenure Criteria Committee

2007 - present              Graduate Committee

2008 - 2010 &                         Pauley Endowment Speaker Series committee

2006 - 2007

 

 

College of Arts & Humanities:

2007 - present              Board of Advisors, Center for Humanities and Digital Research

2006 - present              Co-founder, Medieval and Early Modern Studies Minor

2006 - 2007                 Teaching Incentive Program (TIP) Criteria Committee

 

 

Burnett Honors College:

2007                            Faculty Facilitator and Advisor, President’s Scholars summer Study Abroad

                                    Program to Cambridge University, UK

University:

2011                            Judge for the 2011 UCF Graduate Research Forum, March 29, 2011.

2011                            Presenter at “An Informal Talk About Tenure & Promotion at UCF: What to

                                    Expect,” sponsored by UCF-UFF, March 28, 2011.

2007 - 2010                 Liaison to the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning

2007 - 2009                 United Faculty of Florida (UFF) Senator, University of Central Florida Chapter

 #7463

2006 - present              History Department Library Liaison

 

 

Student Groups:

2010                            With Dr. Amelia Lyons and Dr. John Sacher, “How to Apply to Graduate School

                                    Workshop,” for the Alpha Gamma Chi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, October 7,

                                    2010.

2009                            With Dr. Amelia Lyons and Dr. John Sacher, “Going to Grad School” workshop

                                    for the Alpha Gamma Chi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, October 20, 2009.

2008 - present              Faculty Advisor, Knights Melee Club

 

 

Kenyon College

 

2004-2005                   Baker Prize Committee, Department of History, Kenyon College.

 

 

Professional Memberships

 

Medieval Academy

North American Conference on British Studies & Southern Conference on British Studies

Selden Society

British Agricultural History Society

Economic History Society

Southeast Medieval Association

 

 

Community Presentations

 

Guest Speaker, “Ancient Orders, Modern Plots? Templars, Illuminati, and the Silver Screen,” Winter

            Park Philosophy Club, Winter Park, Florida, April 28, 2009.

 

Guest Speaker, “Myths and Realities of the Middle Ages,” Orange County Regional History Center and

            Orange County Public Schools Workshop “Did You Say Middle Ages?” for Social Studies

            Teachers, Orlando, Florida, September 27, 2008.

 

Guest Speaker with Dr. Tison Pugh, English Department, University of Central Florida, “The Secular and

            the Sacred in Medieval Art,” Orange County Regional History Center and Orange County Public

            Schools Workshop “Did You Say Middle Ages?” for Social Studies Teachers, Orlando, Florida,

            September 27, 2008.

 

Guest Speaker, “The Making and Un-making of Britain, 1607-2007,” Winter Park Philosophy Club,

            Winter Park, Florida, September 18, 2007.