The return of Romeo

Abstract

“O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?” —William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (Act II, Scene II) Who is not familiar with this line from the most well‐known love story in literature? Much of its endurance is derived from the name Romeo, which has become a universal symbol of youth, Italy and the passion associated with both. Even when setting his plays in other countries, Shakespeare still reflected on, and drew inspiration from, the social and political situation in medieval Britain, not least because he wanted his English audience to identify with his stories and characters. At that time, ‘Romeo’ was not only a name, but also a term for young students from Northern Europe who went on a pilgrimage to Rome—and elsewhere in Italy—along a route that became known as the Romean road. The wealth of new ideas that these students brought back from Italian universities and seminars to their home countries was an important factor behind the rapid spread of knowledge across Western Europe, which culminated in the Enlightenment and the creation of modern science (Lyons, 1978). Here, we pursue the idea that Shakespeare's Romeo might have been a scientist. Today, students—like their medieval predecessors—travel all over the world in search of knowledge and training. Consequently, international networks and exchange programmes for individual scientists are recognized as important tools for maintaining the competitiveness of European science in an increasingly global arena. These programmes rekindle the era of the Romeos in the Middle Ages, but it is not yet clear whether they will have the same impact on Europe's science and research as they did centuries ago. The problem is not the willingness of students to go abroad, but that there is simply too much red tape and too little incentive for many of them to return to Europe. This …