The Medieval Studies Workshop (MDGs) for almost thirty years has been active in Palermo (Italy), with a strong showing nationally and internationally. Founded in 1980 by a group of scholars and enthusiasts of the Middle Ages a large part of the University Palermo, OSM is a non-profit cultural association working on various lines of research in medieval studies, with a programmatic multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary. Located inside the monument of the thirteenth-century Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, in the heart of the historic Palermo, Sicily run by the Province of Friars Minor Conventual (OFMConv) with which, since its foundation, ' OSM has established a strong and active collaboration. Precious heritage of the Franciscan Library directed by P. Diego Ciccarelli, who has over 45,000 volumes, manuscripts, incunabula, old books and a large number of rare quality and value and that, even in full and mutual independence, integrates with Library fomat, with common projects and dissemination of the "book culture". OSM is led by a Bureau (elected by the shareholders): President and Alessandro Musco and components are Bisanti Armando, Diego Ciccarelli, Maria Rita Lo Forte, Patrizia Spallino. is coordinated by a Scientific Committee, consisting of: Philip Burgarella, Antonino Buttitta, Paolo Emilio Carapezza, Federico Doglio, Fernando Domínguez Reboiras, Salvatore Fodale, Claudio Leonardi, Andrea Romano, Pasquale Smiraglia Salvatore Tramontana, Varneda Pere Villalba, Oleg Voskoboynikov, Agostino Ziino. Il Comitato si avvale anche della consulenza e della collaborazione di numerosi studiosi italiani e stranieri. L'OSM è animata da un nutrito gruppo di soci, quali collaboratori stabili delle attività culturali, formative e di promozione scientifica, della gestione della Biblioteca, delle iniziative editoriali, dei servizi amministrativi, della logistica.
L'area di studio di interesse dell'OSM, che ha sempre operato in stretta sinergia con l'Ateneo di Palermo ed in particolare con la Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia, è costituita dal Medioevo inteso nel senso più lato e inclusivo, con proiezioni its roots in ancient cultures and their legacies for modern culture. The main areas of research that the MDGs and has grown progressively over the years have enriched the metaphysical tradition, the history of medieval ideas and knowledge in the plurality of their branches, the intersection of cultural traditions in the Middle Ages especially in Mediterranean (Arab and Islamic, Hebrew, Latin and Christian, and Byzantine greek etc..), the history of medieval Latin literature, palaeography and diplomatic studies, historical studies. At present the scientific work is organized through various MDG laboratories that are designed to coordinate, for homogeneous areas of interest, members and all employees. The laboratories operational for which we will also indicate the co-ordinators are:
- Byzantina
deals with Byzantine Civilization in general (Philip Burgarella, Univ of Calabria) and the Christian East (Rosanna Gambino, University of Palermo); - Federiciana
engaged in studying the historical and cultural context of the Mediterranean during the Norman-Swabian goes all through the century. XIV (Oleg Voskoboynikov, University of Moscow) - Franciscana
Franciscan studies dealing with wide-ranging (Luke Parisoli, University of Calabria and Paris-Nanterre) - MDGs THE - Itinera Lulliana
organized by a research group on the work and the thought of Ramon Llull and traditions of the "Lullism" (Jordi Gaya Esterlich, University of Palma de Mallorca, Marta Romano, University of Palermo) - MDGs OR - Oriental
you are part of the oriental scholars ( Judaism: Luciana Pepi, University of Palermo; Arab Culture and Islamic Roccaro Joseph and Patricia Spallino, University of Palermo; Indology: courses language and culture Arabic and Hebrew, both at the basic and higher level Lucilla Maria Vassallo, University of Palermo), which also runs an annual - Traditio
focuses on the tradition of medieval knowledge, with particular attention to the Latin, which is expressed in literature, poetry, theater, philosophy, theology, music, etc.. (Armando Bisanti and Peter Palmeri, University of Palermo) - Vivarium
is dedicated to studies of Palaeography, Diplomatic, Culture of the Book, Library, Restoration of paper and books (Miceli Carolina, University of Palermo)
promotes and uses national and international collaborations with universities, departments, associations, foundations, individual scholars and researchers thanks to formal agreements, agreements, research contracts, projects (Erasmus, Socrates), European Union programs and more.
These workshops, despite their autonomy and sectoral specificity, is not conceived of as separate compartments do not communicate with each other, but as operational moments animated by a common strategy of mutual interaction and synergistic research.
