Diversifying the Teaching of Medieval Studies: Race
Last Updated:Jan 11, 2022 9:31 AM
URL:https://libguides.wmich.edu/c.php?g=1199958
This guide was developed from materials discussed at the 2021 International Congress on Medieval Studies session 391: Teaching the Middle Ages with Diversity and Inclusion organized by Jonathan F. Correa-Reyes and Jacob W. Doss.
Medievalists of Color (MoC) is a professional organization of a diverse group of scholars working across the disciplines in Medieval Studies. The group includes scholars based in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Europe.
The goal of this series is the same as the overarching goal of The Public Medievalist: present cutting-edge scholarship that explores these issues with depth, nuance, and complexity, and do it in as accessible a manner as possible. This series began in February 2017 is ongoing as of December 2021
The focus of this blog is to showcase works of art from European history that feature People of Color. The focus is toward art dating from the fall of the Roman Empire until about 1650, it will also include Baroque and/or Early Modern pieces, as well as works from places other than Europe, Scandinavia and Asia. Ancient Greek, Egyptian and Celtic works featuring People of Color are also fair game.
Several instructors have found this article a useful starting point for discussion of the depiction of different groups and expanding representation of race in the Middle Ages.
She describes her work as "comparative medieval European literature (epic, romance, tale collections), premodern travel, geographical and ethnographic writings, and literary and cultural contacts between the medieval European and Islamic worlds."