Medieval Scholars Call for Transparency and Anti-Racism at Conference

... In the last few years, many scholars of medieval studies have discussed another topic: the far right’s fascination with their discipline. Deeply concerned,they have called on their colleagues to push back against white supremacists’ use of imagery, rhetoric, and symbols from the Middle Ages, and to diversify a field that they say is predominantly white and male. They also seek to expand the discipline’s scope beyond Western Europe.

Some want to make sure that their biggest conference reflects the complexity of that conversation.

Mittman is among a large and growing group of medieval scholars who are calling on the organizers of the conference, which is hosted every year by the Medieval Institute at Western Michigan University, to include more sessions that challenge what they say are racist and inaccurate interpretations of their field. He and other members of the Babel Working Group, medieval scholars who seek to address contemporary issues, are circulating a letterasking why certain proposed sessions were rejected for the conference, and requesting more transparency in how sessions are approved. On Thursday the letter had more than 200 signatures.

“There seems to be a bias against, or lack of interest in, sessions that are self-critical of medieval studies, or focused on the politics of the field in the present, especially relative to issues of decoloniality, globalization, and anti-racism,” the letter says. It also says there is little clarity on who makes programming decisions for the conference.

“The field of medieval studies has long been a haven for people who are invested in the idea of a very white, very Eurocentric, and very Christian” understanding of that time period, said Eileen Joy, a member of the Babel steering committee and co-director of the publisher Punctum Books. “What we’ve been trying to do for roughly 20 years now is unsettle this.” ...

Read entire article at The Chronicle of Higher Education