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LEYSER Conrad, SMITH LesleyMotherhood, religion, and society in medieval Europe, 400-1400 : essays presented to Henrietta LeyserFarnham [etc.] : Ashgate, 2011, XVII-369 p.Collection Church, faith and culture in the medieval WestISBN 978-1-4094-3145-9M 229Résumé éditeur : The volume is focused on the paradox of motherhood in the european middle ages : to be a mother is at once to hold great power, and by the same token to be acutely vulnerable. The essays look to analyse the powers and the dangers of motherhood within the warp and weft of social history, beginning with the premise that religious discourse or pratice served as a medium in which mothers (and others) could assess their situation, defend claims, and make accusations. Within this frame, three main themes emerge : survival, agency, and institutionalization. The volume spans the length and breadth of the Middle Ages, from late Roman North Africa through ninth-century Byzantium to late medieval somerset, drawing in a range of types of historian, including textual scholars, literary critics, students of religion, and economic historians. The unity of the volume arises from the very diversity of approaches within it, all addressed to the central topic.Conrad Leyser is fellow and tutor in history, Worcester College, University of Oxford, UKLesley Smith is fellow and tutor, Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, UKAxe de recherches : Équipe 3 - Du local aux empires