Victoria Craggs
Research Assistant
Pronouns: she/her
Room: Werthmannstr. 6, Room 00 005
Office phone number: –
Email: victoria.viriditas@gmail.com
Victoria Craggs is a research assistant with the DERIVATE research project at the University of Freiburg. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with First Class Honours from the University of Durham, with a focus on medievalism and mimetic reception. Currently, she is studying a Master’s in English Literature and Literary Theory at the University of Freiburg. She is also a graphic designer, working to incorporate medievalism into the creative digital space.
Research interests:
- Medieval Narratology
- Cognitive Literary Studies
- Adaptation Studies
- Hagiography
- The Global Middle Ages
- Classical Reception Studies
- Medical Humanities
- Digital Humanities and Critical AI Studies
- Braille
Employment:
Since 01/2025 | Research Assistant |
2024 | Records Service Operative, NHS England |
Education:
2020-2023 | Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in English Literature |
Additional Education and Certifications:
- RNIB Certificate in Contracted (Grade 2) Unified English Braille: Ongoing.
- AI for Education: Leveraging ChatGPT for Teaching – Duke University, Introduction to Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) – University of Pennsylvania.
- NHS CSTF Certifications (a selection): ‘Information Governance and Data Security’, ‘Equality, Diversity, and Human Rights’, ‘Conflict Resolution’, ‘Health, Safety, and Welfare’, ‘IT Training’, ‘Safeguarding Adults – Level 1’, ‘Accessible Information Standards within CPD’.
Awards & Grants:
|
2025 |
The David Daiches Scholarship, SUISS, The University of Edinburgh |
|
2025 |
Studienstiftung, Anglo-German Summer School Oxford, St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford |
|
2024 – 2026 |
DAAD Stipendium – Masters Studies for All Academic Disciplines |
|
2024-2026 |
Postgraduate Scholarship, St. Chad’s College |
|
2020-2023 |
Dr Joe Cassidy Memorial Scholarship, St. Chad’s College |
|
2020 |
First Place in Prose Fiction, Lancaster Writing Awards, Lancaster University |
|
2012 |
Full Academic Scholarship (English, Mathematics, Science), County Durham |
Conference Papers
- “Cultural fantasy does not evade but confronts history” (Geraldine Heng): Spatial (Re)frames and Literary Derivations in the Middle English and Middle Scots ‘Dido’ (Accepted: Oslo Student Conference on Medieval Europe, 21-22.03.2025)
- “The time is come I will make end”: Eschatological and Local Memory in the York Cycle Plays (Bristol CMS PGR Conference ‘Memory and Legacy’, Bristol, 24.04.25)
- Making the Case for Heurodis: Female Silence and Narrative Action in Sir Orfeo (Bangor University, 20th ‘Medievalism Transformed’ Conference, 24.05.25)
- “We are Amidst Strange Beings, in a Strange Land”: Spatial (Dis)orientations and Oral Narration in Dark Souls (International Medieval Congress, Leeds, 09.07.2025)
- “Fra place to place […] Agane to Troy”: Hagiographical Mediation and the Intervention of Place in Robert Henryson’s The Testament of Cresseid (University of Edinburgh, Edwin Morgan Scholars Seminar 2025, 06.08.2025)
- Reinscribing Chaucer: A Digital Pedagogy of the Ellesmere Manuscript for Middle English Proficiency (New Chaucer Society 24th Biennial Congress, Freiburg, 27-30.07.2026)
Publications
- Making the Case for Heurodis: Female Silence and Narrative Kinesics in Sir Orfeo (Bangor University, ‘Medievalism Transformed’ Conference Proceeding
- ‘Introduction’, in: New Chaucer Studies: Pedagogy & Profession (2025) (with Incifem Sari Tekin) (in preparation)
Events Organised
| 2026 | Graphic Design and Access, 24th Biennial NCS Congress, University of Freiburg |
| 2023 | Co-Organiser, Celebrating Trans Literature, South College, Durham University. |
| 2023 | Co-Organiser and Safety Lead, DUELS Annual Winter Ball, Durham University. |
| 2023 | Co-Organiser, Mentorship Scheme, Durham University English Literature Society, Durham University |
| 2023 | Co-Organiser, Cross-Disciplinary Lecture Series, Durham University English Literature Society, Durham University |
Roles:
April 2025 – July 2026: Local Committee Member, 24th Biennial NCS Congress, University of Freiburg
2025: Campaigner, Women’s Aid
May-October 2025: Editorial Intern, New Chaucer Studies: Pedagogy & Profession
2023: President, Durham University English Literature Society, Durham University
2021: Working Class Representative, LGBT+ Association, Durham University
Teaching:
Winter Term 2025/26
- Tutorial, “Survey of English Literature” with Prof. Dr. Eva von Contzen