Research and Impact
At Durham, we are committed to the study of Graeco-Roman antiquity as a subject with global relevance and the inherent potential for social and pedagogical benefit.
Our approach to research involves rigour in methodology (including a strong emphasis on the study of Greek and Latin), underpinning innovative explorations of new frontiers in the discipline, which aim to challenge entrenched and parochial views of the subject. We aim, in short, to produce credible and innovative research which has far-reaching effects on the subject and society as a whole.
Staff
Have a look at our staff and their research — this will show you who we have here at the moment (including research fellows, honorary fellows, and visitors), and you can find out about our individual research plans, and see how they relate to our vision.
Study
We are also very keen to keep recruiting excellent students to our postgraduate programme in areas of our collective and individual research strengths. We have a large, international postgraduate community, which forms a vital part of our research environment.
Our research centres
There are four research centres based in Classics and Ancient History (but with interdisciplinary connections across the University).
- The Centre for the Study of the Ancient Mediterranean and the Near East (CAMNE) places ancient Greece and Rome within the study of the wider synchronic and diachronic cross-cultural contexts in which they flourished, and addresses the issue of cross-cultural encounters;
- The Durham Centre for Classical Reception (DCCR) fosters the study of the reception of classical culture within and beyond antiquity;
- The Durham Centre for Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (DCAMP) aims to use existing, wide-ranging interests in the study of ancient philosophy at Durham as the basis for growing institutional strength in medieval thought;
- The Centre for Language and Writing Systems (CLAWS) is an interdisciplinary centre that fosters research on Indo-European linguistics, languages and culture, alongside prehistoric and historical non-alphabetic scripts ranging from the Indian peninsula to the Near East as well as Western Europe.
Transformative Humanities
Discover the Faculty of Arts and Humanities' new Transformative Humanities framework which brings together distinctive approaches to humanities research and education within the academy and across a wide range of partners and communities.