Graduate Student Amel Bensalim (History) presented at the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (IUDC) Conference in Medieval Studies at New York University on Friday, April 9, 2026. Read her reflection on the event below.
In April 2026, I had the honor of representing Princeton’s illustrious cohort of graduate medievalists at the [Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (IUDC) Conference in Medieval Studies], held this year at NYU. From the support and encouragement I got at home at Princeton, to the welcome and academic engagement I enjoyed at NYU, the whole process was exemplary of the reasons graduate students pursue medieval studies and venture to share their work with mentors, scholars, and colleagues. I’d like to thank all the professors on the IUDC selection committee for their consideration and for making my participation in the conference possible. In particular, I am grateful to Prof. Beatrice Kitzinger for her diligence and generosity in workshopping my paper, and even going so far as to organize an open dry-run of the final presentation – I am so thankful to everyone who made an effort to listen to my research and provide excellent and practical feedback.
It was very fun and rewarding to attend the conference, to listen to papers ranging from art history to medieval politics, and to show a rapt and curious audience the fascinating and oft-forgotten world of medieval Africa. The questions and comments I received pushed my thinking in new ways and made a discernible impact on my analysis and writing. The IUDC brings together medievalists across participating institutions in an invaluable opportunity for engagement and community. I was thrilled to have met so many people whose work I admired from afar, and to have seen old friends from previous conferences, classes, and workshops. Such meetings emphasize the importance of cross-institutional collaboration and conversations at every stage of one’s career.
Beyond academic discussion, the NYU organizers set aside time for a roundtable discussion on humanities and civic life. The openness of the forum allowed attendees to talk candidly about our work in the context of all the modern political upheaval, which graduate students often feel discouraged or even unsafe to do. It struck me as a thoughtful effort to take steps against the tide of censorship and anti-intellectualism, and I hope future iterations of the IUDC take that as a model. I’m so looking forward to the next one!
View Amel’s full abstract on NYU’s conference page.
Save the Date for the 2027 IUDC Conference in Medieval Studies at Princeton University on Friday, April 2.
