The purpose of this workshop is to bring together faculty and graduate students working on areas of the Western Mediterranean during the medieval and early modern periods in order to develop a broader picture of the historical, linguistic, artistic, and literary currents and exchanges in a site of enormous cultural ferment. The workshop emphasizes the movement of people, ideas, motifs, and objects among the different parts of the region. This forum encourages graduate students to consider their work in a broader context and gives them the opportunity to get important feedback from colleagues and in related disciplines. Graduate student papers are pre-circulated before the workshop meetings.