The International Society for the Study of Medievalism is an academic organization that exists to promote the interdisciplinary study of the popular and scholarly reception of the Middle Ages in postmedieval times. The Society is based on the work and studies of Leslie J. Workman (1927–2001), who is recognized as formalising the academic study of

medievalism Medievalism is a system of belief and practice inspired by the Middle Ages of Europe, or by devotion to elements of that period, which have been expressed in areas such as architecture, literature, music, art, philosophy, scholarship, and variou ...

in the English-speaking world. Katheen Verduin collaborated with Workman for nearly 20 years (as Verduin notes, as "Associate Editor and wife, not necessarily in that order") to establish the Society and its peer-reviewed journal, ''Studies in Medievalism'' (''SiM''). The Society additionally maintains an online journal for shorter articles,
The Year's Work in Medievalism
', and a review journal,
Medievally Speaking
' edited by

Richard Utz Richard Utz (born 1961) is a German-born medievalist who has spent much of his career in North America. He specializes in medieval studies, and served as President of the International Society for the Study of Medievalism (2009–2020). Biography ...

. They also organize annual conference sessions at the

International Congress on Medieval Studies The International Congress on Medieval Studies is an annual academic conference held for scholars specializing in, or with an interest in, medieval studies. It is sponsored by Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and is held during t ...

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a Public university, public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the tr ...

and the

International Medieval Congress The International Medieval Congress (IMC) is an annual academic conference held for scholars specializing in, or with an interest in, the study of the European Middle Ages (c. 300–1500). It is organised and administered by the Institute for Med ...

at the

University of Leeds , mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased , established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds , ...

, and hold their own Annual International Conferences on Medievalism at institutions of higher education worldwide.

Organisational aims

The work of ISSM is characterized as open to innovative and inclusive interdisciplinary scholarship. As Elena Levy-Navarro writes: "The Society has not restricted itself to a single definition of medievalism, and has, both by its calls for papers and by its acceptance and inclusion, encouraged academics to explore medievalism in such disparate phenomenon as the 'Celtic' tattoo, medieval gaming, and the early modern. Such an expansiveness that resists firm boundaries, and thus resists any efforts to develop a concrete field of specialty over which the academic can preside as expert is evident to the continued commitment of its members to electronic media that can provide (for those who can afford it) open access to its collective work, including its journal, ''Year’s Work in Medievalism'', and its community-authored blog, ''Medievally Speaking''. One need only consider the subtitle of this blog—'An Open Access Review Journal Encouraging Critical Engagement with the Continuing Process of Inventing the Middle Ages' (emphasis mine)—to see that the members insist on an openness, in which they critically engage—but not adjudicate—the 'continuing process of inventing the Middle Ages.'" As founder, Workman insisted that "a sense of nostalgia for a lost past percolates throughout many medievalist endeavours", and he discussed "the connection between scholarship and medievalism, in that even academic studies of the Middle Ages become implicated with such nostalgia". In 2017, the ISSM's president, Richard Utz, published a short monograph, ''Medievalism: A Manifesto'', that embedded the subject of medievalism studies within the larger academic contexts of reception studies, feminism, gender studies, and medieval studies.

''Studies in Medievalism''

''Studies in Medievalism'' (''SiM'') is an annual publication that, as noted on its title page, "provides an interdisciplinary medium of exchange for scholars in all fields, including the visual and other arts, concerned with any aspect of the post-medieval idea and study of the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

and its influence, both scholarly and popular, of this study on

Western society human proportions with geometry described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius in Book III of his treatise ''De architectura''. image:Plato Pio-Clemetino Inv305.jpg, upPlato, arguably the most influential figure in all of Western philosoph ...

after 1500." The series was founded in 1979 by Leslie J. Workman as an independent publication. The first issue of SiM featured a quote attributed to the British Victorian writer and Member of Parliament

Lord Acton John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton, 13th Marquess of Groppoli, (10 January 1834 – 19 June 1902), better known as Lord Acton, was an English Catholic historian, politician, and writer. He is best remembered for the remark he ...

on its masthead: As Professor David Matthews notes, the statement has appeared on "every issue" of ''SiM'' since, and "argues for the pervasiveness of medievalism". ''SiM'' now published by Boydell & Brewer, Ltd., and has been edited since 2006 by Karl Fugelso. Since 2009, each volume has begun with a series of 3,000-word, commissioned

essay An essay is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a letter, a paper, an article, a pamphlet, and a short story. Essays have been sub-classified as formal ...

s on such topics as "Defining Medievalism(s)," "Defining Neomedievalism(s)," and "Medievalism and the Corporation." The series is otherwise open to any paper that addresses

in at least 6,000 words, and recent topics have ranged from representations of

King Alfred Alfred the Great (alt. Ælfred 848/849 – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who ...

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

' ''

A Child's History of England ''A Child's History of England'' is a book by Charles Dickens. It first appeared in serial form in ''Household Words'', running from 25 January 1851 to 10 December 1853. Dickens also published the work in book form in three volumes: the first vo ...

'' to medievalist music in

Peter Jackson Sir Peter Robert Jackson (born 31 October 1961) is a New Zealand film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known as the director, writer and producer of the ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003) and the ''Hobbit'' trilogy ( ...

's ''

The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an Epic (genre), epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 c ...

'' films. ''Studies in Medievalism'' does not publish reviews. All reviews of works, performances, or other cultural productions or political events that re-imagine or re-use the Middle Ages in postmedieval times are published in the journal's online review website ''Medievally Speaking''.

''The Year's Work in Medievalism''

The journal
The Year's Work in Medievalism
' is currently edited by Valerie B. Johnson (Montevallo) and Renée Ward (Lincoln). Former editors include Edward L. Risden (

St. Norbert College St. Norbert College (SNC) is a private Norbertine liberal arts college in De Pere, Wisconsin. Founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Norbertine priest and educator, the school was named after Saint Norbert of Xanten. In 1952, the co ...

) and Richard Utz (

Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part o ...

), Leslie J. Workman and Gwendolyn Morgan (

Montana State University Montana State University (MSU) is a public land-grant research university in Bozeman, Montana. It is the state's largest university. MSU offers baccalaureate degrees in 60 fields, master's degrees in 68 fields, and doctoral degrees in 35 fiel ...

International Society for the Study of Medievalism Conferences

ISSM conferences keynote speeches have been given by scholars and creative or cultural practitioners of medievalism, including

Terry Jones Terence Graham Parry Jones (1 February 1942 – 21 January 2020) was a Welsh comedian, director, historian, actor, writer and member of the Monty Python comedy team. After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in English, Jones and ...

Ronald Hutton Ronald Edmund Hutton (born 19 December 1953) is an English historian who specialises in Early Modern Britain, British folklore, pre-Christian religion and Contemporary Paganism. He is a professor at the University of Bristol, has written 14 ...

, and Verlyn Fleiger.

External links

The Year's Work in Medievalism
', the Society's online journal for shorter articles.
Medievally Speaking
', the Society's online review publication.

References

{{Authority control History organizations History journals