Modeling systems of sentencing in early inquisition trials : Crime, social connectivity, and punishment in the register of Peter Seila (1241–2)

SHAW, Robert Laurence John, Tomáš HAMPEJS and David ZBÍRAL. Modeling systems of sentencing in early inquisition trials : Crime, social connectivity, and punishment in the register of Peter Seila (1241–2). Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History. Milton: Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis, 2023, vol. 56, No 3, p. 176-197. ISSN 0161-5440. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01615440.2023.2270404.

Basic information

• Original name: Modeling systems of sentencing in early inquisition trials : Crime, social connectivity, and punishment in the register of Peter Seila (1241–2)
• Authors: SHAW, Robert Laurence John (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Tomáš HAMPEJS (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and David ZBÍRAL (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History, Milton, Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis, 2023, 0161-5440.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 60304 Religious studies
• Country of publisher: United States of America
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 1.400 in 2022
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14210/23:00134287
• Organization unit: Faculty of Arts
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01615440.2023.2270404
• UT WoS: 001097861700001
• Keywords in English: medieval heresy; inquisition; penance; computer assisted semantic text modelling; qualitative comparative analyses; multiple linear regression
• Tags: rivok
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

This article, published in the Web of Science History first-decile journal Historical Methods, is a significant outcome of the GAČR-EXPRO and ERC Consolidator Grant-funded Dissident Networks Project (DISSINET), based on comprehensive formal data analysis. It disentangles the intricate relations between crime and punishment in earliest medieval inquisitions. It builds on the fact that despite significant research on the techniques of repression employed by medieval inquisitors against religious dissidents, the case-level influences on the penances they meted out are understood only vaguely: the extent to which sentencing “systems” existed is unknown. To overcome this, we apply formal methods – an exploratory analysis supported by crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis, and statistical modeling founded on multiple linear regression – to the large and historically significant register of Peter Seila (1241–2), captured as structured data via a statement-based approach entitled “Computer-Assisted Semantic Text Modelling” (CASTEMO). The results show that Peter systematically weighted different types of crimes and dissident interactions when sentencing; they do not suggest, however, that he was influenced by accomplicity or kinship among the sentenced.

Links

• GX19-26975X, research and development project: Name: Nekonformní náboženské kultury ve středověké Evropě z pohledu analýzy sociálních sítí a geografických informačních systémů (Acronym: DISSINET)

Investor: Czech Science Foundation

• 101000442, interní kód MU: Name: Networks of Dissent: Computational Modelling of Dissident and Inquisitorial Cultures in Medieval Europe (Acronym: DISSINET)

Investor: European Union, ERC (Excellent Science)