Mary Rambaran-Olm | Woke University (original) (raw)
Books by Mary Rambaran-Olm
Cambridge Elements, 2025
Historically, humans have employed the social construct of race to either simplify a specific wor... more Historically, humans have employed the social construct of race to either simplify a specific worldview or enforce hierarchical intergroup arrangements. Whereas race today is often defined by markers such as skin color, eye shape, ancestry, and hair texture, the Anglo-Saxons saw ‘race’ as marked just as often by language, religion, and culture. Over the course of six hundred years early medieval England transitioned from a primarily pagan territory to a predominantly Christian kingdom interconnected with the Holy Roman Empire. The early English were constantly interacting with ‘others’ whether through trade, migration, invasion, war, colonialism, and so on, and as a result developed their own ways to include and exclude ‘others.’ This volume aims to shed light on race in the Early English period (roughly from the fifth century to the end of the eleventh century) and its relationship with Christian and non-Christian religious groups. Whereas previous scholarship has predominantly focused on Celtic and Scandinavian influences on various aspects of early English artistry, culture and literature, this book will explore the impact on early medieval England of a wider range of places like the Iberian Peninsula, Northern Africa and Asia. This more expansive investigation aims to enhance our understanding of race, ‘othering’ and their relationship to various religious groups spanning the entirety of the Early Medieval period in England. Building on foundational work by scholars such as Geraldine Heng, this book will describe an early chapter in the history of race in Western Europe.
"The Old English poem known popularly as the "Descent into Hell", found on folios 119v to 121v of... more "The Old English poem known popularly as the "Descent into Hell", found on folios 119v to 121v of the Exeter Book, has to date received little critical attention, perhaps owing to various contextual problems and lacunae on the leaves that contain it. This first full-length study offers a full account of the poem, together with an edition of the text and facing translation. It aims to resolve some of the poem's vexing issues and provides a variety of possible interpretations of the poem. The in-depth literary analysis seeks to enrich modern scholarly perceptions of the poem, suggest a more appropriate title, and contribute to continued scholarly discussion and analysis of the Exeter Book and its compilation. It provides a guide towards understanding the poem's main theme, presents the text in light of its position in ecclesiastical history, and sheds fresh light into its place and significance within the corpus of Old English poetry."
Peer-reviewed Articles & Public Outreach by Mary Rambaran-Olm
Black Educology Mixtape Journal, 2024
As a scholar of pre-Conquest England, I was faced with the challenge of being both invisible and ... more As a scholar of pre-Conquest England, I was faced with the challenge of being both invisible and hyper-visible. The mental and physical toll this takes on racialized scholars in predominantly white fields is immense, which leads to many of us leaving. This track explores my departure from academia, how Black people in history and in academia are often erased and how fiber arts is utilized as a form of resistance. Resistance of hegemony and white supremacy can come in ways we least expect. Accordingly, this track examines how fiber arts has served as a form of liberation and helped me make Black and Brown historical figures in the archives more visible.
- THE ROUTLEDGE COMPANION TO POLITICS AND LITERATURE, 2023
The year 1066 is perhaps one of the most recognizable dates in English history, as it describes t... more The year 1066 is perhaps one of the most recognizable dates in English history, as it describes the beginning of a new political, linguistic, and cultural era in England. The Norman Conquest of 1066 marks a pivotal point in England’s Imperial narrative story: transitioning from the Germanic tribal migration and the establishment of a united kingdom on the British Isle to the Norman invasion, conquest, and cultural transformation of England. Precisely because 1066 might be the only date many people recognize from the early English period, it is useful as an orientation point for examining how England was established, re-examining the terminology used to describe the early English period, and reflecting on how the era was reimagined for the political agenda of justifying colonialism. The period formerly referred to
as the “Anglo-Saxon” period that preceded 1066 has been fraught with controversy in more recent years, even though scholars have spent decades debating what “Anglo-Saxon” means and whether it accurately represents historical reality.
(NLH) New Literary History, Apr 1, 2022
The field of Early English studies (formerly Anglo-Saxon studies) is both founded on and operates... more The field of Early English studies (formerly Anglo-Saxon studies) is both founded on and operates within the parameters of white supremacy. Currently, the field is grappling with questions concerning who it represents, how it reflects on the world, and likewise the boundaries of the period. This analysis surveys the history of the field, investigates its periodization dates and interrogates our diminished understanding of this time in early medieval history, due in part, to the field's continued restrictiveness in terms of periodization. This paper examines how these constraints prevent us from interacting and working with other fields, and limit ways in which we can enrich our understanding of the past and today.
Old English to 1200 (YWES), 2022
A history of the use of the term "Anglo-Saxon" and its use within the field of Old English studie... more A history of the use of the term "Anglo-Saxon" and its use within the field of Old English studies. This paper also interrogates how the term was used to promote white superiority during the age of colonization and abused by race scientists.
Public Books, 2021
A review-essay of 3 important works (Koritha Mitchell’s "From Slave Cabins to the White House", O... more A review-essay of 3 important works (Koritha Mitchell’s "From Slave Cabins to the White House", Olivette Otele’s "African Europeans: An Untold Story", and Brigitte Fielder’s "Relative Races: Genealogies of Interracial Kinship in Nineteenth-Century America." The essay focuses on anti-Blackness, misogynoir, and perseverance in the academy and in Medieval Studies in particular. The essay also looks at how Black, brown and other PoC can find community in the past.
Smithsonian Magazine, 2021
TIME, 2019
Co-authored with Dr. Matthew Gabriele, we discuss misappropriation of medieval history, symbols, ... more Co-authored with Dr. Matthew Gabriele, we discuss misappropriation of medieval history, symbols, and terms by the far-right. https://time.com/5734697/middle-ages-mistakes/
Postmedieval, 2020
The global resurgence of fascist leaders, the violent terrorist attacks of white supremacists, an... more The global resurgence of fascist leaders, the violent terrorist attacks of white supremacists, and racist, homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic, and other hate-fueled rhetoric that has come to dominate our public and private forums of life makes it clear that we must collectively push back against institutionally sanctioned hate to help ensure the safety of our marginalized community members and to safeguard the futures we anticipate. White supremacist appeals to “purity” and fascist leaders’ grotesque captivation with national origin myths perpetuate ideologies of purgation. Mary Douglas’s early theorizations of purity and purgation in “Purity and Danger” were written against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement - the 1963 March on Washington, the Selma to Montgomery march of 1965, the formation of the Black Panthers in 1966, the Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court case of 1967. We are now in another position to reconsider the power of revolt and the revolting with its multifarious meanings. Our calamitous times demand a call to action, and this 10th-anniversary double-issue of postmedieval can be our field’s megaphone. Early English Studies (formerly Anglo-Saxon studies) in particular has been resistant to engage with theoretical texts and criticism, especially with relation to critical race theory, and recent conversations among medieval scholars have accentuated this problem in Early English studies and beyond. Thus, this special edition encourages contributors to engage in various theoretical discussions and approaches beyond white, Christian, Anglo-centric (or Eurocentric) methodologies. The goal of this special issue endeavors to delve into early English texts, history, art or related material and engage with scholarship that critiques the racism, homo- and transphobia, xenophobia, ableism, and misogyny long embedded in our scholarship and in our classrooms.
To this end, this special issue seeks papers on topics that capsize the racist narrative to which Medieval Studies broadly and Early English Studies especially have been held captive. We ask for papers that embrace ideas and bodies discarded in traditional discourse and that rebels against scholarship that is both sterilized and sterilizing. This issue encourages contributions from various disciplines and methodologies within all of Medieval Studies but wish to highlight the urgent and decisive intersectional work within Early English studies. Through this collaborative endeavor, we hope to create a compilation of essays that will declutter centuries worth of traditionalist, elitist and racist politics in the field. We endeavor to include pieces from various disciplines within Early English studies including literary, history, archaeology, art history, etc. that can serve as a foundational source for scholars and students as well as a catalyst for further research. In particular, we encourage scholarly articles that embrace critical race theory, gender and sexuality studies, class studies, et al., and/or the possibilities for overlap and discussions of intersectionality. Other approaches that confront revulsion and cultivate revolution are welcome.
List of authors coming soon.
Quimbandas, 2021
While the horrifying, public murder of George Floyd served as a catalyst drawing attention to rac... more While the horrifying, public murder of George Floyd served as a catalyst drawing attention to racial and economic inequalities and police brutality not only in America but globally, uprisings and demonstrations around the world have been complicated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Witnessing police brutality via social media or participating in demonstrations has made more white scholars (and the general public somewhat more broadly) more receptive to antiracist education, but many white people are either unwilling to do the work themselves or are not confident that they can approach this education without the guidance and/or labor of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). Whereas BIPOC often serve to highlight “diversity” within predominantly white populated institutions, now identities of scholars of color are becoming more visible as actual human beings to their white colleagues.
In addition to demanding accountability for racial injustice outside of academia, scholars of color and their allies have been saddled with fighting white supremacist structures within academe more vigorously. Now more than ever, BIPOC scholars are being asked to contribute to more antiracist pedagogy at their institutions, on top of their usual workload within their respective fields. Increased demands for BIPOC scholars to perform as anti-racist instructors within academia amidst the pandemic has impacted their lives drastically. The uprisings have catapulted scholars of color into roles of antiracist education that not only affects their academic output, but compounds stresses that affect their health and well-being. The primary aim of this essay will be to examine how scholars of color, particularly Black scholars, have assumed additional responsibilities as antiracist educators during the 2020 pandemic and BLM uprisings, have developed innovative ways to provide racial literacy instruction during the pandemic, and how this has impacted their physical and mental health. Building on Cedric Robinson’s theory of racial capitalism, this essay will examine how the primary beneficiaries of Black scholarly labor taking on antiracist education are white scholars and academic institutions themselves. At the core of this essay will be an evaluation of how Black scholars are essential to dismantle white supremacist frameworks within academia although their lives are often viewed as expendable.
Selim: Journal of the Spanish Society for Mediaeval English Language and Literature, 2021
FORTHCOMING: This article aims to address the current and ongoing discussion of the term 'Anglo-S... more FORTHCOMING: This article aims to address the current and ongoing discussion of the term 'Anglo-Saxon'. Tracking its use in history, this article argues why a name-change is important to reflect the scholarly community that works within the period parameters of the early medieval period in England.
History Workshop, 2019
Anglo-Saxons’ has long been associated with the early English people, but this label suffers from... more Anglo-Saxons’ has long been associated with the early English people, but this label suffers from a long history of misuse. The scholarship and field supposedly draw their name from the people that scholars study, although the labels ‘Anglo-Saxonist’ and ‘Anglo-Saxon studies’ are also fraught with inaccuracies. This short analysis explores the term, and its use and misuse throughout history.
Medium, 2018
Anglo-Saxon Studies is a field with both linguistic and contemporary relevance. It furthers our u... more Anglo-Saxon Studies is a field with both linguistic and contemporary relevance. It furthers our understanding of human history, allows us to draw parallels and highlight differences between areas around the globe, and helps explain today’s world. And yet it finds itself in a diminished position, applauded increasingly by white nationalists. This paper examines the state of the field and what we, as scholars, can do to revitalize it. Click the link above to read the article on Medium.
Flaying in the Premodern World: Practice and Representation. Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, 2017
T he fascination with the Middle Ages has a lengthy tradition which, arguably, began shortly afte... more T he fascination with the Middle Ages has a lengthy tradition which, arguably, began shortly after the period ended. For centuries the popular view of the age was based on the claim of the fourteenth-century Italian scholar Francesco Petrarch (1304-74) that the medieval period was one of literary and cultural 'darkness'. 1 Whereas the terms 'medieval' and 'medievalism' were first used in the nineteenth century to denote the intermediate period between the 'classical' and 'modern' eras of history, for centuries the post-medieval English fostered images of a 'dark' and 'savage' past to support the Petrarchan view of pre-Conquest England and the Continent.2 This anachronistic view has long been abandoned by scholars; however, the concept of the 'Dark Ages' became firmly established among English dilettanti and scholars alike, beginning in the Renaissance and 1 Writing of the period after the fall of the Roman Empire, Petrarch explained that: 'Nullo enim modo divinarum rerum veritas apparere illis poterat, quibus nondum verus sol iustitie illuxerat. Elucebant tamen inter errores ingenia, neque ideo minus vivaces erant oculi, quamvis tenebris et densa caligine circumsepti, ut eis non errati odium, sed indigne sortis miseratio deberetur' [Amidst the errors there shone forth men of genius; no less keen were their eyes, although they were surrounded by darkness and dense gloom; therefore they ought not so much to be hated for their erring but pitied for their ill fate]. See: Francesco Petrarch, Apologia cuiusdam anonymi Galli calumnias (Defence Against the Calumnies of an Anonymous Frenchman) in his Opera Omnia (Basileae: Execudebat Henrichus Petri, 1554) p. 1195. Translation from Theodore Mommsen, 'Petrarch's Conception of the "Dark Ages" ', Speculum 17 (1942): 226-42 at p. 227, n. 9. 2 The broad term 'post-medieval' is used interchangeably with any subsequent period in English history after the Middle Ages. The OED states that 'medieval' was first used by T. D. Fosbroke in 1817, and 'medievalism' was coined by John Ruskin in 1853. 'Medievalism' has become identified with the study of the ongoing construction of the idea of the Middle Ages.
Digital Medievalist, May 2015
In editing the Exeter Book poem's "The Descent into Hell," also known as "John the Baptist's Pray... more In editing the Exeter Book poem's "The Descent into Hell," also known as "John the Baptist's Prayer," I attempted to digitally reconstruct the damaged folia that contain the only surviving copy of the Old English poem. In the process of carrying out the digital reconstructive work, many technical, aesthetic and analytical issues were raised. This paper examines many of the techniques used to digitally reconstruct damaged medieval folia using Photoshop, and also assesses the concerns raised during and after the digital reconstructive work was completed. This article also includes an evaluation of many of the benefits as well as the pitfalls of digital reconstruction carried out on ff. 119v-121v of the Exeter Book, and offers practical resolutions that might be considered when digital restorative work is performed on any given damaged medieval MS.
Cambridge Elements, 2025
Historically, humans have employed the social construct of race to either simplify a specific wor... more Historically, humans have employed the social construct of race to either simplify a specific worldview or enforce hierarchical intergroup arrangements. Whereas race today is often defined by markers such as skin color, eye shape, ancestry, and hair texture, the Anglo-Saxons saw ‘race’ as marked just as often by language, religion, and culture. Over the course of six hundred years early medieval England transitioned from a primarily pagan territory to a predominantly Christian kingdom interconnected with the Holy Roman Empire. The early English were constantly interacting with ‘others’ whether through trade, migration, invasion, war, colonialism, and so on, and as a result developed their own ways to include and exclude ‘others.’ This volume aims to shed light on race in the Early English period (roughly from the fifth century to the end of the eleventh century) and its relationship with Christian and non-Christian religious groups. Whereas previous scholarship has predominantly focused on Celtic and Scandinavian influences on various aspects of early English artistry, culture and literature, this book will explore the impact on early medieval England of a wider range of places like the Iberian Peninsula, Northern Africa and Asia. This more expansive investigation aims to enhance our understanding of race, ‘othering’ and their relationship to various religious groups spanning the entirety of the Early Medieval period in England. Building on foundational work by scholars such as Geraldine Heng, this book will describe an early chapter in the history of race in Western Europe.
"The Old English poem known popularly as the "Descent into Hell", found on folios 119v to 121v of... more "The Old English poem known popularly as the "Descent into Hell", found on folios 119v to 121v of the Exeter Book, has to date received little critical attention, perhaps owing to various contextual problems and lacunae on the leaves that contain it. This first full-length study offers a full account of the poem, together with an edition of the text and facing translation. It aims to resolve some of the poem's vexing issues and provides a variety of possible interpretations of the poem. The in-depth literary analysis seeks to enrich modern scholarly perceptions of the poem, suggest a more appropriate title, and contribute to continued scholarly discussion and analysis of the Exeter Book and its compilation. It provides a guide towards understanding the poem's main theme, presents the text in light of its position in ecclesiastical history, and sheds fresh light into its place and significance within the corpus of Old English poetry."
Black Educology Mixtape Journal, 2024
As a scholar of pre-Conquest England, I was faced with the challenge of being both invisible and ... more As a scholar of pre-Conquest England, I was faced with the challenge of being both invisible and hyper-visible. The mental and physical toll this takes on racialized scholars in predominantly white fields is immense, which leads to many of us leaving. This track explores my departure from academia, how Black people in history and in academia are often erased and how fiber arts is utilized as a form of resistance. Resistance of hegemony and white supremacy can come in ways we least expect. Accordingly, this track examines how fiber arts has served as a form of liberation and helped me make Black and Brown historical figures in the archives more visible.
- THE ROUTLEDGE COMPANION TO POLITICS AND LITERATURE, 2023
The year 1066 is perhaps one of the most recognizable dates in English history, as it describes t... more The year 1066 is perhaps one of the most recognizable dates in English history, as it describes the beginning of a new political, linguistic, and cultural era in England. The Norman Conquest of 1066 marks a pivotal point in England’s Imperial narrative story: transitioning from the Germanic tribal migration and the establishment of a united kingdom on the British Isle to the Norman invasion, conquest, and cultural transformation of England. Precisely because 1066 might be the only date many people recognize from the early English period, it is useful as an orientation point for examining how England was established, re-examining the terminology used to describe the early English period, and reflecting on how the era was reimagined for the political agenda of justifying colonialism. The period formerly referred to
as the “Anglo-Saxon” period that preceded 1066 has been fraught with controversy in more recent years, even though scholars have spent decades debating what “Anglo-Saxon” means and whether it accurately represents historical reality.
(NLH) New Literary History, Apr 1, 2022
The field of Early English studies (formerly Anglo-Saxon studies) is both founded on and operates... more The field of Early English studies (formerly Anglo-Saxon studies) is both founded on and operates within the parameters of white supremacy. Currently, the field is grappling with questions concerning who it represents, how it reflects on the world, and likewise the boundaries of the period. This analysis surveys the history of the field, investigates its periodization dates and interrogates our diminished understanding of this time in early medieval history, due in part, to the field's continued restrictiveness in terms of periodization. This paper examines how these constraints prevent us from interacting and working with other fields, and limit ways in which we can enrich our understanding of the past and today.
Old English to 1200 (YWES), 2022
A history of the use of the term "Anglo-Saxon" and its use within the field of Old English studie... more A history of the use of the term "Anglo-Saxon" and its use within the field of Old English studies. This paper also interrogates how the term was used to promote white superiority during the age of colonization and abused by race scientists.
Public Books, 2021
A review-essay of 3 important works (Koritha Mitchell’s "From Slave Cabins to the White House", O... more A review-essay of 3 important works (Koritha Mitchell’s "From Slave Cabins to the White House", Olivette Otele’s "African Europeans: An Untold Story", and Brigitte Fielder’s "Relative Races: Genealogies of Interracial Kinship in Nineteenth-Century America." The essay focuses on anti-Blackness, misogynoir, and perseverance in the academy and in Medieval Studies in particular. The essay also looks at how Black, brown and other PoC can find community in the past.
Smithsonian Magazine, 2021
TIME, 2019
Co-authored with Dr. Matthew Gabriele, we discuss misappropriation of medieval history, symbols, ... more Co-authored with Dr. Matthew Gabriele, we discuss misappropriation of medieval history, symbols, and terms by the far-right. https://time.com/5734697/middle-ages-mistakes/
Postmedieval, 2020
The global resurgence of fascist leaders, the violent terrorist attacks of white supremacists, an... more The global resurgence of fascist leaders, the violent terrorist attacks of white supremacists, and racist, homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic, and other hate-fueled rhetoric that has come to dominate our public and private forums of life makes it clear that we must collectively push back against institutionally sanctioned hate to help ensure the safety of our marginalized community members and to safeguard the futures we anticipate. White supremacist appeals to “purity” and fascist leaders’ grotesque captivation with national origin myths perpetuate ideologies of purgation. Mary Douglas’s early theorizations of purity and purgation in “Purity and Danger” were written against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement - the 1963 March on Washington, the Selma to Montgomery march of 1965, the formation of the Black Panthers in 1966, the Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court case of 1967. We are now in another position to reconsider the power of revolt and the revolting with its multifarious meanings. Our calamitous times demand a call to action, and this 10th-anniversary double-issue of postmedieval can be our field’s megaphone. Early English Studies (formerly Anglo-Saxon studies) in particular has been resistant to engage with theoretical texts and criticism, especially with relation to critical race theory, and recent conversations among medieval scholars have accentuated this problem in Early English studies and beyond. Thus, this special edition encourages contributors to engage in various theoretical discussions and approaches beyond white, Christian, Anglo-centric (or Eurocentric) methodologies. The goal of this special issue endeavors to delve into early English texts, history, art or related material and engage with scholarship that critiques the racism, homo- and transphobia, xenophobia, ableism, and misogyny long embedded in our scholarship and in our classrooms.
To this end, this special issue seeks papers on topics that capsize the racist narrative to which Medieval Studies broadly and Early English Studies especially have been held captive. We ask for papers that embrace ideas and bodies discarded in traditional discourse and that rebels against scholarship that is both sterilized and sterilizing. This issue encourages contributions from various disciplines and methodologies within all of Medieval Studies but wish to highlight the urgent and decisive intersectional work within Early English studies. Through this collaborative endeavor, we hope to create a compilation of essays that will declutter centuries worth of traditionalist, elitist and racist politics in the field. We endeavor to include pieces from various disciplines within Early English studies including literary, history, archaeology, art history, etc. that can serve as a foundational source for scholars and students as well as a catalyst for further research. In particular, we encourage scholarly articles that embrace critical race theory, gender and sexuality studies, class studies, et al., and/or the possibilities for overlap and discussions of intersectionality. Other approaches that confront revulsion and cultivate revolution are welcome.
List of authors coming soon.
Quimbandas, 2021
While the horrifying, public murder of George Floyd served as a catalyst drawing attention to rac... more While the horrifying, public murder of George Floyd served as a catalyst drawing attention to racial and economic inequalities and police brutality not only in America but globally, uprisings and demonstrations around the world have been complicated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Witnessing police brutality via social media or participating in demonstrations has made more white scholars (and the general public somewhat more broadly) more receptive to antiracist education, but many white people are either unwilling to do the work themselves or are not confident that they can approach this education without the guidance and/or labor of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). Whereas BIPOC often serve to highlight “diversity” within predominantly white populated institutions, now identities of scholars of color are becoming more visible as actual human beings to their white colleagues.
In addition to demanding accountability for racial injustice outside of academia, scholars of color and their allies have been saddled with fighting white supremacist structures within academe more vigorously. Now more than ever, BIPOC scholars are being asked to contribute to more antiracist pedagogy at their institutions, on top of their usual workload within their respective fields. Increased demands for BIPOC scholars to perform as anti-racist instructors within academia amidst the pandemic has impacted their lives drastically. The uprisings have catapulted scholars of color into roles of antiracist education that not only affects their academic output, but compounds stresses that affect their health and well-being. The primary aim of this essay will be to examine how scholars of color, particularly Black scholars, have assumed additional responsibilities as antiracist educators during the 2020 pandemic and BLM uprisings, have developed innovative ways to provide racial literacy instruction during the pandemic, and how this has impacted their physical and mental health. Building on Cedric Robinson’s theory of racial capitalism, this essay will examine how the primary beneficiaries of Black scholarly labor taking on antiracist education are white scholars and academic institutions themselves. At the core of this essay will be an evaluation of how Black scholars are essential to dismantle white supremacist frameworks within academia although their lives are often viewed as expendable.
Selim: Journal of the Spanish Society for Mediaeval English Language and Literature, 2021
FORTHCOMING: This article aims to address the current and ongoing discussion of the term 'Anglo-S... more FORTHCOMING: This article aims to address the current and ongoing discussion of the term 'Anglo-Saxon'. Tracking its use in history, this article argues why a name-change is important to reflect the scholarly community that works within the period parameters of the early medieval period in England.
History Workshop, 2019
Anglo-Saxons’ has long been associated with the early English people, but this label suffers from... more Anglo-Saxons’ has long been associated with the early English people, but this label suffers from a long history of misuse. The scholarship and field supposedly draw their name from the people that scholars study, although the labels ‘Anglo-Saxonist’ and ‘Anglo-Saxon studies’ are also fraught with inaccuracies. This short analysis explores the term, and its use and misuse throughout history.
Medium, 2018
Anglo-Saxon Studies is a field with both linguistic and contemporary relevance. It furthers our u... more Anglo-Saxon Studies is a field with both linguistic and contemporary relevance. It furthers our understanding of human history, allows us to draw parallels and highlight differences between areas around the globe, and helps explain today’s world. And yet it finds itself in a diminished position, applauded increasingly by white nationalists. This paper examines the state of the field and what we, as scholars, can do to revitalize it. Click the link above to read the article on Medium.
Flaying in the Premodern World: Practice and Representation. Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, 2017
T he fascination with the Middle Ages has a lengthy tradition which, arguably, began shortly afte... more T he fascination with the Middle Ages has a lengthy tradition which, arguably, began shortly after the period ended. For centuries the popular view of the age was based on the claim of the fourteenth-century Italian scholar Francesco Petrarch (1304-74) that the medieval period was one of literary and cultural 'darkness'. 1 Whereas the terms 'medieval' and 'medievalism' were first used in the nineteenth century to denote the intermediate period between the 'classical' and 'modern' eras of history, for centuries the post-medieval English fostered images of a 'dark' and 'savage' past to support the Petrarchan view of pre-Conquest England and the Continent.2 This anachronistic view has long been abandoned by scholars; however, the concept of the 'Dark Ages' became firmly established among English dilettanti and scholars alike, beginning in the Renaissance and 1 Writing of the period after the fall of the Roman Empire, Petrarch explained that: 'Nullo enim modo divinarum rerum veritas apparere illis poterat, quibus nondum verus sol iustitie illuxerat. Elucebant tamen inter errores ingenia, neque ideo minus vivaces erant oculi, quamvis tenebris et densa caligine circumsepti, ut eis non errati odium, sed indigne sortis miseratio deberetur' [Amidst the errors there shone forth men of genius; no less keen were their eyes, although they were surrounded by darkness and dense gloom; therefore they ought not so much to be hated for their erring but pitied for their ill fate]. See: Francesco Petrarch, Apologia cuiusdam anonymi Galli calumnias (Defence Against the Calumnies of an Anonymous Frenchman) in his Opera Omnia (Basileae: Execudebat Henrichus Petri, 1554) p. 1195. Translation from Theodore Mommsen, 'Petrarch's Conception of the "Dark Ages" ', Speculum 17 (1942): 226-42 at p. 227, n. 9. 2 The broad term 'post-medieval' is used interchangeably with any subsequent period in English history after the Middle Ages. The OED states that 'medieval' was first used by T. D. Fosbroke in 1817, and 'medievalism' was coined by John Ruskin in 1853. 'Medievalism' has become identified with the study of the ongoing construction of the idea of the Middle Ages.
Digital Medievalist, May 2015
In editing the Exeter Book poem's "The Descent into Hell," also known as "John the Baptist's Pray... more In editing the Exeter Book poem's "The Descent into Hell," also known as "John the Baptist's Prayer," I attempted to digitally reconstruct the damaged folia that contain the only surviving copy of the Old English poem. In the process of carrying out the digital reconstructive work, many technical, aesthetic and analytical issues were raised. This paper examines many of the techniques used to digitally reconstruct damaged medieval folia using Photoshop, and also assesses the concerns raised during and after the digital reconstructive work was completed. This article also includes an evaluation of many of the benefits as well as the pitfalls of digital reconstruction carried out on ff. 119v-121v of the Exeter Book, and offers practical resolutions that might be considered when digital restorative work is performed on any given damaged medieval MS.
English Studies , Oct 2014
The sometimes unfortunate decisions made by King Æthelred II during his reign have cast him in an... more The sometimes unfortunate decisions made by King Æthelred II during his reign have cast him in an unsavory light, so much so that his various accomplishments have been overlooked. The negative anecdotes and unflattering legends chronicled about him after his death by medieval historians such as William of Malmesbury have left a lasting negative impression.
Although detailing Æthelred’s failings is a familiar subject, he installed a number of important judicial laws and ecclesiastical charters that proved beneficial to the country during and after his reign. Æthelred’s legal implementations might not offer enough support to repair his reputation from the poor position it holds in the eyes of history’s critics; however, some of his legislative decisions deserve critical attention and commendation.
This paper examines the extent to which the medieval justice system was shaped by Æthelred’s judicial policies. Additionally, this paper reconsiders the legislative decisions in the third quarter of Æthelred’s reign which contributed to thriving ecclesiastical, and by association artistic, communities. Perhaps it is easier to focus on Æthelred’s failures because there seems to be no shortage of them; however, the persistent focus on his shortcomings misrepresents him and deprives us of gaining a more accurate image of his character. Despite the continued Viking attacks from AD 993 to 1006, Anglo-Saxon England maintained a generally stable period of governance that contributed to a flourish of literature, liturgical texts, manuscripts and art.
Therefore, this paper focuses on the rule of Æthelred II during the final decade of the 10th- century until 1006 in order to shed light on a relatively successful period in which implementation of specific legislative and ecclesiastical policies proved beneficial for Anglo-Saxon England and its future.
Signum Salutis. Cruces De Orfebriria De Los Siglos V Al XII. Ed. César Carcia De Castro Valdés. Oviedo: Gobierno del Prinipado de Asturias, 2008
An invited talk on race, periodization and nationalism at the University of Cork, Ireland.
A talk at Yale, Nov. 20, 2019 for the Graduate Studies Research students.
Encyclopedia of Medieval British Literature. Oxford: Wiley & Blackwell. , 2017
Encyclopedia entry for 'Descent into Hell.'
Encyclopedia of Medieval British Literature. Oxford: Wiley & Blackwell. , 2017
Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception. Berlin: De Gruyter Publishing House. , 2017
The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Ed. Robert E. Bjork. Oxford: OUP, 2010
The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Ed. Robert E. Bjork. Oxford: OUP, 2010
The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Ed. Robert E. Bjork. Oxford: OUP, 2010
The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Ed. Robert E. Bjork. Oxford: OUP, 2010
The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Ed. Robert E. Bjork. Oxford: OUP, 2010
The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Ed. Robert E. Bjork. Oxford: OUP, 2010
The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Ed. Robert E. Bjork. Oxford: OUP, 2010
The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Ed. Robert E. Bjork. Oxford: OUP, 2010
Companion to Pre-1600 British Poetry. Ed. Michelle M. Sauer. New York: Facts on File, 2008
A powerpoint presentation to accompany a talk I gave at the University of Waterloo on Jan. 28, 20... more A powerpoint presentation to accompany a talk I gave at the University of Waterloo on Jan. 28, 2022 for their distinguished speaker series on Medievalism & Misappropriation. Feel free to use the slides with credit.
A response to Professor Doug Gray's talk on Nationalism and Ethics in Scotland and Ireland. Discu... more A response to Professor Doug Gray's talk on Nationalism and Ethics in Scotland and Ireland. Discussion held at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.
Black Educology Mixtape Journal, 2024
As a scholar of pre-Conquest England, I was faced with the challenge of being both invisible and ... more As a scholar of pre-Conquest England, I was faced with the challenge of being both invisible and hyper-visible. The mental and physical toll this takes on racialized scholars in predominantly white fields is immense, which leads to many of us leaving. This track explores my departure from academia, how Black people in history and in academia are often erased and how fiber arts is utilized as a form of resistance. Resistance of hegemony and white supremacy can come in ways we least expect. Accordingly, this track examines how fiber arts has served as a form of liberation and helped me make Black and Brown historical figures in the archives more visible.
postmedieval , 2020
Edited by M. Rambaran-Olm, M. Breann Leake, and Micah James Goodrich This is an issue of revolt.... more Edited by M. Rambaran-Olm, M. Breann Leake, and Micah James Goodrich
This is an issue of revolt. It revolts against those who find its contents,
contributors, and contributions revolting. The global resurgence of fascist
leaders, the violent terrorist attacks of white supremacists against communities of color, and the hateful rhetoric, with often deadly consequence, that has dominated our public and private forums of life make it all too clear that we must push back against institutionally-sanctioned cruelty with our collective might in order to protect each other and the futures that we imagine. Our calamitous times demand action, and this issue of postmedieval seizes our field’s megaphone.