Prof. Volker Menze is the new Head of Department for the Department of Historical Studies at CEU.
Prof. Menze's research interests lie in Late Antique, Byzantine, and Eastern Christianity Studies; Medieval Studies; and Religious Studies. His recent book Patriarch Dioscorus of Alexandria: The Last Pharaoh and Ecclesiastical Politics in the Later Roman Empire, published in 2023, was praised by Peter Brown as "truly a master-work-- a triumph of everything that is best in Kirchengeschichte. I was riveted as the portrait of Dioscorus slowly but surely emerged as almost totally unexpected and yet deeply convincing. I have not ever read such a drastic revision of a major Early Christian figure [...] truly the beginning of a new age in Patristic studies”,
As head of the Late Antique, Medieval and Early Modern Studies doctoral program, Volker brought cohorts of students together in lively and engaging debate. According to our current PhD student, Bernat Racz, “Professor Menze has helped me greatly with developing my research methodology and my skills in delivering the results of my research to diverse audiences.” He is an enthusiastic contributor to the academic life of students in the department, joining reading groups and chairing a panel at the recent Late Antique and Byzantine Studies Graduate Student Conference.
In the words of Prof. Menze's supervisee, Nelson Bennett:
“Volker is the exactly the kind of supervisor I wanted when I arrived here. Knowledgeable on both academic and administrative matters, understanding of the difficulties of life as a PhD student, thorough in his feedback, polite but firm when I'm slow or lazy with my work, and always willing to listen and talk through issues. Plus, he's fun at departmental events, which is a must.”
Read Prof. Menze's Welcome Message here.