History Lab's 'Meet the Historian’ events are an opportunity to hear at first hand from noted historians how and why they became historians in the first place, their thoughts on research and the discipline generally, and about their latest work. There will be the chance to ask questions and enter into discussion, and to join the speaker for drinks after the talk.

John Arnold is head of department and assistant dean of Birkbeck, University of London. He is the author of What is Medieval History? and Belief and Unbelief in Medieval Europe, and is currently co-editing a collection of essays on the history of masculinity; research in writings against heresy from antiquity to the Reformation; and editing forthcoming The Oxford Handbook to Medieval Christianity. His research is informed by interdisciplinary perspectives, drawing particularly on insights from theoretical works in literary, cultural and anthropological studies, and he has researched broader themes of gender (particularly masculinity) and subjectivity in the medieval period. He also confesses to having published minor work on horror movies and science-fiction literature!

History Lab is a national network of postgraduates in history or a related discipline. Events are open to those doing an MA or a PhD and non-members are welcome. For more information, see www.history.ac.uk/historylab