PERSECUTIO
Exploring polemics and persecution
PERSECUTIO is a research initiative exploring causal dependencies and relations between polemical texts against Christianity’s religious enemies—heretics, Jews and witches—and concrete acts of persecution against those deemed to be representatives of such groups in late medieval Europe between 1300–1500. Currently, the focus is on selected cases in the area of the Holy Roman Empire and Eastern Central Europe. The goal is to expand the project to other European areas.
The project leader is Docent Reima Välimäki, and the research is based at the University of Turku and its multidisciplinary research centre TUCEMEMS.
The project is funded by the Research Council of Finland (Academy Fellowship 2023–2027).
