Digital Medievalism

Assesses the reasons for the relative disregard for the study of the continuity of religious thought and faith by scholarship in Medievalism Studies over the last 25 years. Postulates that medievalism scholars have an ethical obligation to investigate and historicize religion and theology, at least in its temporal manifestations. An extended version was published in: "Medievalism and the Subject of Religion." Studies in Medievalism 24 (2015): 11-19.

Originally published at The Medieval Review [email protected], 4/8/2018. While researched, written, and published before most of last year's momentous discussions about the role of race, gender, politics, and ideology in medieval studies and medievalism, Andrew Elliott's study is a timely and relevant contribution to the field. It continues the work begun by Louise D'Arcens and Andrew Lynch (eds., <i>International Medievalism and Popular Culture</i>, 2014), Tommaso Carpegna di Falconieri (<i>Medioevo militante: La politica di oggi alle prese con barbari e crociati</i>, 2011), David M. Marshall (ed., <i>Mass Market Medieval: Essays on the Middle Ages in Popular Culture</i>, 2007), and Bruce Holsinger (<i>Neomedievalism, Neoconservatism, and the War on Terror</i>, 2007), but deepens their insights with a focus on the roles of contemporary media and communication, specifically online medievalisms. It also offers an original theoretical framework for future investigations.

In the more hidden corners of the Internet, such as on fanfiction forums and mailing lists, it is easy to come across extremely right-wing comments. As can be seen from the two examples with which I began this essay, this commentary manifests itself on several layers. The alt-right commentators I have encountered believe in racial theory, that there is a hierarchy between these races and that you should not mix them. They openly dream of their ideal times (an imaginary past) and places (Utopia) with only white people. To translate this imaginary past into concrete identity markers in their present context, they resort to, among other things, (neo-)medieval symbolism. This has far-reaching consequences, among others for scholarship in the fields of the (neo)medieval and Tolkien.

The online Middle Ages no longer exists solely as a historical or historiographical project (if ever it did), but as a touchpoint for identifications with the present, or as a cultural repository for contemporary identities.
This paper, accordingly, explores the re-use of the Middle Ages within social media not from the perspective of history and scholarship, but from the burgeoning field of internet studies to explore the uses and appropriations of the medieval past from the perspective of the audience. It argues that social media’s medievalisms exist in a range of forms, from earnest attempts to promote the study of the medieval past (through scholars’ blogs or public medievalism sites like The Public Medievalist) through to more public-oriented approaches such as www.medievalists.net and wholly playful modes such as memes and quizzes, which excise the Middle Ages from their historical context for entirely modern concerns.
This paper argues that the role and function of the European Middle Ages on social media serve to find new idioms for a newly ahistorical past. “Like” the Middle Ages, then, is not an expression of appreciation, but becomes a metaphor of comparison and difference, using the past not as a historical precedent, but as a paratextual, hypothetical past to reconfigure the present.

The castles, knights, battles, and imaginary creatures of the Middle Ages perpetually inspire art, literature, photography, film, and reenactment. These later fantasy works blend historical source material with legendary or magical elements to create memorable characters, creatures, and cultures. This exhibition explores the ways in which the Middle Ages have been mythologized, dramatized, and re-envisioned time and again, proving an irresistible period for creative reinterpretations ranging from the Brothers Grimm to Game of Thrones.

In this essay, I argue that we can best understand the political use of Crusade metaphors in the U.S. and the Middle East—and the critiques levied against this kind of discourse—by viewing them as either invocations of the “historical past” or the “practical past.” In doing so, I hope to emphasize a unique kind of medievalism, one which may draw on the affordances of figurative language like metaphor to make the past “practical” for contemporary political concerns. Medievalism that draws on the practical past is not just shaped by the conditions of the present, but it actively seeks to make the medieval past essential for grappling with and acting in the present—and the future.

The establishment of the field of Spatial Humanities testifies to the success in the use of technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the analysis of texts in Humanities. Although the increasing volume of projects can be regarded as a sign of advance, an important challenge has remained unsolved in this field and it has been barely addressed. The majority of research dealing with spatial narratives in historical and literary corpora, focus on the investigation of what can be called ‘real’ geographies. This is to say, places that can be located and analysed through coordinates in software such as GIS. The challenge, however, is that a large number of narratives deal with places that are geographically vague and/or imaginary. We presented this challenge at the Digital Humanities Conference during the summer of 2016 as part of the workshop ‘A Place for Places’ from which this volume emerges. On it, we posed the question: How can we, through computational methods, move into the analysis of spatial narratives incorporating real, vague, and imaginary space and place? Looking to address this key question and using the iconic French medieval romances of Chretién de Troyes as example, this article presents a preliminary analysis that implements a tailored methodology combining a spatial and linguistic approach for the analysis of real, vague and imaginary space and place in historical literature.

Вступительное слово доктора Ричарда Утца, президента Международ-ного общества изучения медиевализма. В этой небольшой и в чем-то интимной заметке исследователь рассуждает о факторах, влияющих на оптику ученого, о «я» познающего субъекта и о «публичных» медиеви-стах и медиевалистах.Ключевые слова: дилетант; другой; любитель; медиевализм.

Since the inclusion of medieval studies in the modern academy, professional scholars have insisted on distinguishing their work from extra-academic lovers of medieval culture. Richard Utz analyses the semantic, institutional, and sociopolitical history of the relationship between medieval studies and medievalism. He provides a survey of how scholars' exteriorization of amateur interest in the medieval past narrowed the epistemological range of medieval scholarship and how reception studies, feminism, and postmodernism gradually expanded modern pastist approaches to the Middle Ages. Utz advances specific examples for reconnecting investigating scholarly subjects with their subjects of investigation, and he challenges scholars to make a conscious effort to engage in public scholarship and explore inclusive gestures toward the contributions non-academic lovers of the Middle Ages can offer. His manifesto advocates an active integration of academic medievalists' work within the many other equally valuable artistic and sociopolitical partner contexts of reading the medieval past.

Increasing access to computer games has increased their influence over popular consciousness, including public perceptions of history. The interactive elements of these games allows them greater impact on their audiences than most traditional forms of media. This paper will address two connected issues:
Firstly, I will discuss the depiction of the middle ages in Grand Strategy Computer Games such as Crusader Kings and Medieval Total War. I will highlight the technological, research and balance restraints placed on these games and demonstrate how this influences their design and their representation of the medieval period. I will argue that games of this genre set in this period share many of the same restrictions in their design as their counterparts in other historical periods, but that there are also some unique challenges in representing the middle ages.
Secondly, I will consider the impact these games have on undergraduate perceptions of the middle ages. I will underline some overt demonstrations of this influence (both positive and negative) and suggest that these games also influence student perceptions in more subtle ways. I will conclude with a consideration of the effects of this genre of game on student perceptions of other periods of history.

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOALS This course examines the afterlife of the middle ages-also called medievalism-and how medieval culture and events have been interpreted in modern popular culture, beginning with the early modern period (16 th and 17 th centuries) and ending in the 21 st century. This course aims to foster a deeper understanding how the medieval past was imaged in various media, including literature, architecture, music, cinema, and role playing games, as well as how modern sensibilities shaped popular (and often, politically charged) representations of the middle ages. In general, each week consists of an online discussion centering around a common theme and a set of readings, for which at least one student will come up with discussion questions. Students are expected to contribute actively to class discussions via the online message board available on BlackBoard. Other graded assignments include leading class discussion, a paper, and two short articles to be published online. OVERALL COURSE AIMS • To understand the questions, interpretations, and arguments offered by scholars who study the history of medievalism. • To appreciate the contributions that different theoretical and disciplinary approaches (such as critical theory, musicology, literature, women's and gender studies, and film studies) have made to the history of medievalism. • To develop analytic skills, especially in historiography and critical writing, through online class discussion, compiling annotated bibliographies, and writing a final essay. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES • Historiographical analysis: Students will be able to assess and discuss scholars' main arguments, the ways in which they use evidence, the ways they differ from one another, and the strengths and weaknesses of their work. By the end of this course, they should be efficient at picking up a piece of writing, locating the author's thesis, assessing her or his use of evidence, and forming a balanced opinion of its merits and deficiencies. • Research skills: This course will introduce students to researching a historical topic related to medievalism. They will apply research skills in finding materials for their blogs and essays.

Este estudio exploratorio pretende identificar las carencias en la habilidad de selección y manejo de las ediciones electrónicas de cartularios medievales entre los estudiantes del postgrado de Historia como instrumento para el análisis de la evaluación docente en competencias digitales dentro del ámbito universitario.

The establishment of the field of Spatial Humanities testifies to the success in the use of technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the analysis of texts in Humanities. Although the increasing volume of projects can be regarded as a sign of advance, an important challenge has remained unsolved in this field and it has been barely addressed. The majority of research dealing with spatial narratives in historical and literary corpora, focus on the investigation of what can be called ‘real’ geographies. This is to say, places that can be located and analysed through coordinates in software such as GIS. The challenge, however, is that a large number of narratives deal with places that are geographically vague and/or imaginary. We presented this challenge at the Digital Humanities Conference during the summer of 2016 as part of the workshop ‘A Place for Places’ from which this volume emerges. On it, we posed the question: How can we, through computational methods, mo...

The 2018 International Medieval Congress at the University of Leeds (2-5 July 2018) will have a special thematic strand of ‘Memory’. In light of this focus, we invite proposals for 20-minute papers on the Memory, Legacy and Reception of the Crusades in the modern era.

Quintessentially medieval, the crusades and crusading proved both flexible and durable in popular, political and scholarly memory. We welcome proposals for papers on any aspect of the memory of the crusades or crusading since 1700 including (but not limited to):

- National memories of the crusades or crusaders, or use of crusading rhetoric or imagery;
- Political uses of crusading;
- Popular images of the crusades and crusading; whether literary, artistic, entertainment or pastime;
- The cultural impact and memory of crusading of recipients of crusades – e.g. Muslims, Middle Eastern peoples, Baltic territories, Orthodox Christians, etc;
- Academic crusade historiography;
- Theoretical dimensions of crusader medievalism and collective memory;
- Religious reflections, refractions and re-purposing of the crusades;
- The modern history of crusader objects or collections;
- Representations of the crusades in art, literature, computer games, or other media;
- Groups for whom crusading or the crusades form a central aspect of their identity, informing their purpose and self-expression;
- Crusader dreams – crusade proposals, however practical
- Considerations of the entanglement of the above aspects.

Please send an abstract of no more than 200 words, and a short bio, to:
[email protected] by Monday 18th September 2017.
Organisers: Jonathan Phillips, Mike Horswell
(Royal Holloway, University of London) and
Kristin Skottki (University of Bayreuth)
Website: www.engagingthecrusades.com

More Middle Ages on Screen? Reconsidering The Reel Middle Ages (A Roundtable)
Sponsored by the Virtual Society for the Study of Popular Culture and the Middle Ages
51st International Congress on Medieval Studies
Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan
12-15 May 2016
Proposals due by 15 September 2015

Over the last three decades computer games as a medium have become increasingly influential within popular culture. Easier access to consoles and personal computers have broadened the audience for this media from a small niche market to a large portion of the Western world. At the same time, developments in software and hardware have allowed the provision of more detailed, immersive, and, above all, entertaining products. The positive and negative societal consequences of the availability and abundance of these games in general has been the subject of some debate ranging from moral crusades against perceived violent influences to the use of games as educational aids. In any event, computer games are firmly embedded within modern society.
This paper will focus on the impact of computer games on undergraduate students’ perceptions of the medieval period. I will argue that within this electronic medium the genre of grand strategy games are the most influential to student’s deep understanding of historical concepts. These games grant the player control of almost every aspect of a state or kingdom, holding sway over economic, diplomatic and military actions to an extent that would be envied by rulers of modern states. I will argue that these games are influential for two reasons. Firstly, they provide a level of non-linear interactivity which is not found within other mediums or within most other genres of computer game. The ability to make choices and see consequences on a grand scale provides a greater depth of learning and reinforcement of ideas than is facilitated through more linear media. Secondly, these games display a simplified but functional model of society. Despite necessary or inadvertent abstractions and inaccuracies they present the player with a thoroughly developed world to explore which follows consistent and relatively logical rules. Having established this foundation, I will go on to highlight the ways in which these games have influenced students’ thinking in the classroom and within their coursework and note the potential benefits and pitfalls of ideas obtained in this way. Finally, I will consider how these arguments can be applied to other periods of history and other forms of media

Surveys the relationship between traditional forms of medievalism, the study of the middle ages, and recent, mostly technology-based re-creations of the middle ages in film, tv, and electronic games. Forms a frame for the volume together with Terry Jones&#x27;s &quot;Epilogue.&quot;

Table of Contents:
E.L. Risden: Introduction
Ann F. Howey: Father Doesn’t Know Best: Uther and Arthur in BBC’s Merlin
Leah Haught: “What if your future was the past?”: Temporality, Gender, and the “Isms” of Outlander 
Elan Pavlinich: The Chaucerian Debate of Auctorite versus Experience in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent
J.P. Telotte: Flatness and Depth: Classic Disney’s Medieval Vision
Valerie Johnson: Identity and Posthuman Medievalism in Sons of Anarchy 
Michael Evans: Is pre-Columbian America Medieval?: Indigenous Absence in American Medievalisms 
John Wm. Houghton: “The Lay of Baldor: a Play for Voices”

E. L. Risden: Introduction
Glenn Steinberg: Teaching Shakespeare’s Sources and Contexts
William Hodapp: Shakespearean Medievalism in Performance: The Second Tetralogy
Bonnie J. Erwin: “Is This Winning?”: Reflections on Teaching The Two Noble Kinsmen
Leigh Smith: “The matter that you read”: Saxo Grammaticus as a Source for Shakespeare and a Resource for Teachers of Hamlet
Brandon Alakas: Shakespeare’s Medievalism and the Life Removed: Depictions of Religious in Measure for Measure
Karl Fugelso: Cecco Bonanotte’s Moving Illustrations of the Divine Comedy
Heta Aali: Early Nineteenth-Century French Historiography and the Case of the Merovingian Queens
Sandra Gorgievski: Secret Gestures and Silent Revelations: The Disclosure of Secrets in Selected Arthurian Illuminated Manuscripts and Arthurian Films

Computer games are a relatively young medium but one which has become increasingly accessible in recent decades. Within this category, the niche filled by Historical Grand Strategy Games, themselves descendants of board games, holds increasing influence over the public perception of history. These games, originating with the likes of Civilization, tend towards relatively deep representations of the periods and cultures they address and, as distinct from most other mediums, allow a great degree of interactivity. The user controls military, economic, social and diplomatic actions of his country, kingdom or empire within a “sandbox” non-linear simulation and this necessitates a different representation of history to that found in literature, films or even other types of computer game.
Grand Strategy Games have typically been somewhat weak in their coverage of the middle ages. As has been the case in other mediums, the period has often been eschewed in favour of the classical, renaissance or modern eras with little more than a cursory knight sandwiched between legionaries and musketeers. However, this balance has been redressed to a large extent in the new millennium. Games spanning the entirety of human history have placed greater emphasis on the Middle Ages and series such as Medieval: Total War and Crusader Kings have focused exclusively on the Middle Ages. The popularity of these games makes them of increasing importance to medievalism and to teachers of medieval history whose students have increasingly come into contact with this media.
This paper will address the changing representation of the medieval period within this genre. It will discuss the difficulties inherent in producing games of this sort with regards to the Middle Ages looking at how modern preconceptions on the part of both author and audience have dictated design decisions. It will consider the restrictions placed on these games by technology and research limitations as well as the unique nature of politics, warfare and society within the medieval period. It will address the demands for historical accuracy, which increasingly come from the audience rather than the author and how this impacts on the way these games play. Finally it will deal with the dichotomy between free will and predetermination within this medium, an issue which has gained prominence in recent years.

Surveys the relationship between traditional forms of medievalism, the study of the middle ages, and recent, mostly technology-based re-creations of the middle ages in film, tv, and electronic games. Forms a frame for the volume together with Terry Jones's "Epilogue."