Travis Bruce, "Constructing the Medieval Maritime State: Identity, Violence, and Connection in the Mediterranean" (Oxford UP, 2026)

Welcome to the New Books Network. Hello and welcome to another episode on the New Books Network. I'm one of your hosts, Doctor Miranda Melcher. And I'm very pleased today to be speaking with Professor Travis Bruce about a book just out from Oxford University Press in 2026 titled Constructing the Medieval Maritime State: Identity, Violence, and Connection in the Mediterranean, which takes on a very interesting question, I think, for the period, right? Looking at the medieval Mediterranean.

Also, a question in many ways that I think is relevant to more times and places as well. Kind of what happens when a big state, when an empire, Collapses. What happens in the aftermath. How do small states like the one we're going to be discussing Kind of get on with things. Um, how do all sorts of different aspects of running a state like trade and diplomacy intertwine with things like raiding and violence? Um what can this mean for culture? There's a whole lot going on here in what looks like a kind of

small bit of the world, um, but many things occurring sort of all at once, and with perhaps some um kind of interesting ways to think about how that might apply. Um In other places and times too. So clearly we've got a lot to talk about. Travis, thank you so much for joining me on the podcast. Um thanks. Thanks Miranda. Thanks for having me here. I'm uh I'm super happy, super super excited to talk about my book. So um I really appreciate the chance. Well, I'm glad you said yes, and that we get to do this, but before we get too carried away um by the book itself, could you please introduce yourself a little bit and then

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