Abstract / Excerpt
“Two specters are haunting the study of the literature, culture, and history of the pre- and early modern periods. First, a catastrophic decline in the number of majors across the humanities. Second, the assertion that studying medieval and early modern periods sheds light on the foundational texts of a so-called Western civilization has made the fields attractive to far-right extremists. The two issues are not as distinct as they might at first appear, and the imperative to address them is both practical and ethical.”
About the Author
Kim F. Hall
BlacKKKShakespearean: A Call to Action for Medieval and Early Modern Studies
BlacKKKShakespearean: A Call to Action for Medieval and Early Modern Studies
Profession
Modern Language Association
Medieval/early Modern literature, cannon, diversity, mentorship
Article
6 pages
Link
Citation
“This is necessary reading for any class that includes research projects. ‘With immense pain, scholars of medieval and early modern literature, history, and culture have had to acknowledge that our fields of study are not politically neutral.’ The article is primarily about the field of medieval and early modern studies and its relationship to the white centric research and works produced within it, connecting that to the zeal with which white nationalists have found the field so attractive, the lack of scholars of color within the field, and the diminishing interest from undergraduates. As an instructor not specifically in this field, this article is about knowledge production and the ways in which white supremacy becomes infused in ‘scholarly production.’ Practically speaking, this article strips away the veneer of objective research projects and asks ‘How is knowledge created’ and ‘For whom is knowledge created?’ This is an especially relevant question in any course that asks for historical (or any) research.”
- Pam Cobrin, English & First-Year Foundation