Alaric Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alaric Hall
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Hall in 2021
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| Born | 1979 (age 45–46) |
| Nationality | British |
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Notable work
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| Institutions | University of Leeds |
Alaric Hall (born 1979) is a British expert in languages and old texts, known as a philologist. He works as a professor at the University of Leeds. He also used to lead their Institute for Medieval Studies. Since 2009, he has been the editor of important academic journals like Leeds Studies in English and Leeds Medieval Studies.
Contents
Alaric Hall's Education and Research
Early Life and University Studies
Alaric Hall was born in 1979. He went to the University of Cambridge for his first degree. There, he studied Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic cultures. Later, he earned two more degrees from the University of Glasgow. These were a Master's degree (M.Phil.) in Medieval Studies and a Ph.D. in English.
Studying Elves in History
For his Ph.D., Alaric Hall wrote about elves in Anglo-Saxon England. This was a deep dive into how elves were seen in old English stories. After finishing his studies, he became a professor at the University of Leeds. He also directed the Institute for Medieval Studies there.
Exploring Old European Cultures
Professor Hall teaches and researches the languages, cultures, and history of Northwest Europe from the Middle Ages. This includes places like Iceland and England. He has written and edited many books and articles on these topics. He is especially interested in the Icelandic language and its old stories.
Acclaim for Elves in Anglo-Saxon England
His book from 2007, Elves in Anglo-Saxon England, was very well-received. Other scholars praised it for being very thorough. For example, a famous scholar named Tom Shippey called it an "exceptionally thorough study." Another scholar, Dimitra Fimi, said it was a "solidly scholarly work." She noted its careful look at language and its open-minded approach.
Alaric Hall's Community Involvement
Environmental and Local Activism
Alaric Hall is also active in environmental causes. Since 2018, he has often run for election to the Leeds City Council. He represents the Green Party of England and Wales. For many years, he lived in an eco-friendly building in Leeds called Greenhouse. He helped organize community activities in his local areas of Beeston and Holbeck. This included helping people affected by building safety issues.
Supporting Open Knowledge and Education
Within the academic world, Professor Hall strongly supports open-access publishing. This means making research freely available online for everyone. He also helps edit Wikipedia and uses Wikipedia editing in his teaching. He is a member of the University and College Union. This union works to improve conditions for university staff. He took part in their campaigns in 2013 and between 2018 and 2020.
See also
- Songs for the Philologists
