In studies of medievalism, there is a flourishing bibliography analysing the work of artists and scholars of marginalised genders, races, and sexualities, including studies by Candace Barrington, Helen Brookman, Jane Chance, Joshua Davies, Caroline Dinshaw, Denis Ferhatović, Katie Garner, Jonathan Hsy, Clare Lees, Bob Mills, Gillian Overing, Elan J. Pavlinich, Mary Rambaran Olm, Matthew X. Vernon, and Bethany Whalley. TheQueer MedievalismNetwork and the forthcoming issue of Studies in Medievalism, ‘(En)Gendering Medievalism’, also demonstrate increased attunement to medievalisms’ marginalised makers.

Excellent work is happening, yet, as a whole, across major journals and edited volumes of medievalism, people of colour, queer people, and people of marginalised genders - as poets, writers, and artists - are notably absent. For example, in 258 articles published in Studies in Medievalism between 2003 and 2023, only 11% give significant attention to work by women. In major edited medievalism volumes, when women’s work is analysed, it is often women reflecting on their own creations, while queer creators and BIPOC artists are chronically under-represented.

Areas of exploration may include (but are not limited to): 

• How the medievalisms of marginalised makers ask different questions of medieval material to their ‘centred’ counterparts

• How marginalised makers critique and/or build on established reception of medieval texts, tropes and materials

• How these makers’ responses to the early, high and late middle ages differ in their tone and texture

• How the medium of choice for such makers (poetry; prose; film; performance etc.) shapes the contours of their medievalisms

• How the intersectional facets of a maker’s identity (gender; race; sexuality; social background etc.) inform their re-making of the medieval

We seek 15-20 minute papers which expand critical attention to marginalised makers of the Middle Ages. We especially encourage papers which take into account intersections between medievalism, gender, sexuality, race, and the dynamics of class and social privilege.

Please send your abstract of between 200-300 words, contact details and a short bio to Fran Allfrey (fran.allfrey@york.ac.uk ) and Emma Nuding (e.nuding@lancaster.ac.uk ) by 17:00 UK time on Friday 15 September, 2023.

Leeds IMC will take place on Monday 01 July to Thursday 04 July 2024, please indicate in your message if there is day you certainly cannot attend.