IMC 2021: Sessions

Session 821: Public Medievalism: Responsibility and Cultural Heritage Management

Tuesday 6 July 2021, 16.30-18.00

Sponsor:	Graduate Student Committee, Medieval Academy of America, Massachusetts
Organiser:	Julia King, Institutt for fremmedspråk, Universitetet i Bergen
Moderator/Chair:	Logan Quigley, Department of English, University of Notre Dame, Indiana
Paper 821-a	The Soldiers of Odin and Canadian White Supremacy (Language: English) Iona Lister, Department of English, University of Toronto Index terms: Language and Literature - Scandinavian, Medievalism and Antiquarianism
Paper 821-b	Public Medievalism in Special Collections Libraries (Language: English) Ruthann Miller, Rare Book & Manuscript Library University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Index terms: Manuscripts and Palaeography, Teaching the Middle Ages
Paper 821-c	Cultural Disasters, Cultural Value, and a Medievalist's Responsibility (Language: English) Julia Faiers, School of Art History, University of St Andrews Index terms: Architecture - General, Medievalism and Antiquarianism, Teaching the Middle Ages
Abstract	How do medievalists cross the borders between academia, public outreach, and responsible cultural heritage management? Debates around the reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral have shown that there is popular interest in medieval sites and their histories and demonstrate the need for medievalists to contribute to public debates on their preservation, management, and narrative. In addition, the Black Lives Matter movement continues its important work of training the spotlight on the white supremacist narratives and culture that pervades our world. This panel will consider how medievalists can best make their voices heard in such discussions while working against triumphalist and white supremacist narratives about the medieval past that accompany such reconstruction projects. Panelists will consider how medievalists can engage responsibly in public discussions about the medieval heritage. We welcome proposals on subjects including but not limited to: methods of engagement for medievalists within the public sector; fighting white supremacism within cultural heritage discourses; the role of the expert in discussions of public heritage; and careers for medievalists within the cultural heritage or public sectors.