Dr Robert Houghton - University of �鶹��ý

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Biography

?I joined the University of �鶹��ý in 2015 as Lecturer in Early Medieval European History, having taught previously at the University of St Andrews and University of Edinburgh. I completed an MA, MLitt and a PhD on representations of collective action in the Italian proto-communes at the University of St Andrews (graduated 2013). In 2018 I was promoted to Senior Lecturer. Outside the University I have worked as a researcher for Mouseion Ltd and with and as an editor for . I also organise the annual and asociated events and proceedings.

My teaching interests include the Italian city communes and proto-communes, Church and Empire during the Investiture Contest, and representations of the Middle Ages in modern games.

Areas of expertise

?Medieval Italian cities and bishops
The Investiture Contest
The Middle Ages in modern media
History in Computer Games

Publications

Books

• ed. with K. Cook and C. Kempshall, The Routledge Companion to Video Games and History (Routledge, In Preparation).

•

• ed., (Bloomsbury, 2023).

• ed., (DeGruyter, 2022).

• ed. with C. Heath, (AUP, 2021).

• ed. with K. Alvestad, (IBTauris, 2021).

• ed., (Routledge, 2021).

Articles and Chapters

• ‘The Global Middle Ages in Strategy Computer Games: Moving past cultural homogeneity and stereotypes’, in Handbook of Global Medievalism (Routledge, Contracted, Projected Publication 2027).

• ‘The Crusades in Digital and Analogue Games: Play, Reception and Creation’, in Mike Horswell ed., Handbook for the Reception of the Crusades (Routledge, Contracted, Projected Publication 2027).

• ‘Periodisation beyond Sid Meier’s Civilization: Standing the Test of Time?’, in Robert Houghton, Kate Cook and Chris Kempshall eds., The Routledge Companion to Video Games and History (Routledge, Under Review, Projected Publication 2026).

• ‘Historical Analogues: Playing, Modding and Making Tabletop Games in the History Classroom’, in Iain Donaldson, Nick Webber and Esther Wright eds., Writing Game Histories (Bloomsbury, Accepted, Projected Publication 2026).

• ‘The rebellion of Mantua against Matilda of Canossa (1091 - 1114)’, Matildica (In Preparation, Projected Publication 2026).

• ‘“Against a darkening background”: Dark Age mechanics in Total War: Attila’, Rethinking History, 30 (Accepted, Projected Publication 2026).

• ‘Getting into Character: Educational Mechanics and Roleplay in the Medieval History Classroom’, in T. Gobbitt ed., Tabletop Gaming the Medieval World (Accepted, Projected Publication 2026).

• ‘’, Digital Culture & Society, 12 (2025).

• ‘’, in Lorenzo DiTommaso, James Crossley, Alastair Lockhart, and Rachel Wagner eds.,�� (DeGruyter, 2024).

• ‘, Studies in Medievalism 33 (2024).

• ‘’, The Open Library of the Humanities 9, 2 (2023).

• With Ylva Grufstedt, ‘Christian Vikings storming Templar Castles: Anachronism as a Teaching Tool’, in Erik Champion and Juan Hiriart eds.,��(DeGruyter, 2023).

• ‘Abandoning Civilization: Breaking Genre Conventions in Medieval Strategy Games’, in R. Houghton ed., s (Bloomsbury, 2023).

• ‘The Middle Ages in Modern Games: An Adolescent Field’, in R. Houghton ed., (Bloomsbury, 2023).

• ‘’, in R. Houghton ed., Teaching the Middle Ages through Modern Games (DeGruyter, 2022).

• ‘’, in C. Heath and R. Houghton, eds.,��Conflict and Violence in Medieval Italy 568-1154 (AUP, 2021) pp. 265-298.

• With Christopher Heath, ‘’, in C. Heath and R. Houghton, eds.,��Conflict and Violence in Medieval Italy 568-1154 (AUP, 2021) pp. 11-61.

• ‘Scholarly History through Digital Games: Pedagogical Practice as Research Method’, in C.E. Ariese-Vandemeulebroucke, K.H.J. Boom, B. van den Hout, A.A.A. Mol & A. Politopoulos eds. , (Sidestone, 2021) pp. 131-149.

• ‘’, in K. Alvestad and R. Houghton, eds., The Middle Ages in Modern Culture: History and Authenticity in Contemporary Medievalism (IBTauris, 2021) pp. 186-210.

• With Karl Alvestad, ‘’, in K. Alvestad and R. Houghton, eds., The Middle Ages in Modern Culture: History and Authenticity in Contemporary Medievalism (IBTauris, 2021) pp. 1-14.

• ‘’, Gamevironments 14 (2021) pp. 1-49.

• ‘’, in R. Houghton, ed.,��Playing The Crusades (Routledge, 2021) pp. 71-92.

• ‘’, in R. Houghton, ed.,��Playing The Crusades (Routledge, 2021) pp. 1-11.

• With Andreas Körber and Johannes Meyer-Hamme, ‘’, in R. Houghton, ed.,��Playing The Crusades (Routledge, 2021) pp. 93-110.

• ‘’, Journal of Medieval History, 46; 1 (2020) pp. 50-76.

• ‘’, in R. Kotecki, J. Maciejewski and J. S. Ott, eds., Between Sword and Prayer: Warfare and Medieval Clergy in Cultural Perspective (Brill, 2018) pp. 274-302.

• ‘’, Práticas da História, 7 (2018) pp. 11-43.

• ‘’, Storicamente, 13 (2017) Art. 15 pp. 1-24.

• ‘’, in M. Penman, F. Lachaud and M. Brown, eds., Absentee Authority across Medieval Europe (Boydell and Brewer, 2017) pp. 56-77.

• ‘’, Gamevironments 5 (2016) pp. 8-45.

• ��‘’, Early Medieval Europe, 24;4 (2016) pp. 448-477.

• ‘’, Journal of Medieval History, 31;4 (2015) pp. 388-408.

Conference Proceedings

For all Middle Ages in Modern Games conference proceedings, .

Multimedia credits

• �� (Paradox Interactive, 2019-Present).

• (2014-Present).

•�� (Paradox Interactive, 2012-2019).

• Analysis of Carole Hillenbrand’s The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives (Macat International, 2017).

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Research interests

?My research falls into two main strands:

The first concerns relationship networks and socio-political structures in Northern Italy c.950-c.1122. In particular, I have worked on projects to map and investigate the political connections of various relationship networks including those surrounding the Italian kings of the tenth century, the imperial papal candidates of the late eleventh century (Cadalus of Parma and Guibert of Ravenna), and Matilda of Canossa. I am interested in how these figures were able to establish and maintain their positions in a complex and changing environment.

I am also interested in the ways in which modern games can be used to represent, explore, and debate the Middle Ages. My work considers the development stronger teaching techniques through games and their potential as outputs and tools for the study of history. My current project engages with the presentation of the Middle Ages within computer games and considers the interaction between ludic and medievalist tropes to create a particular vision of the period.

Supervision of research students

?I welcome proposals for postgraduate research. My areas of supervision are:��Italian cities and bishops: Investiture Contest; Middle Ages in modern media; History in computer games.